So… as you may have seen, we had a bit of a fire on Monday.

Around 1.2 hectares of our wildest grassland and scrub burned to the ground, along with all the invertebrates (eggs, caterpillars, pupae, bugs, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, snails, spiders etc.) which feed the birds and make the place sing.

But fire is a part of grassland ecology – and most species are well adapted to a relatively ‘cool’ fire, like this. Grasses and seedlings are already beginning to re-emerge, just four days later.... but the invertebrates will, sadly, take some time to recover.

THIS WEEKEND

The fire has exposed a LOT of old bottles and cans – and some plastic which is only partly burnt, especially where there were large patches of bramble.

So this is where we start – once more removing accumulated, historic rubbish.

Our usual litter picking and conservation working group on a Saturday morning from 10am, is not possible but due to other commitments (unless anyone is able to help out by transporting and handing out litter-pickers and bags on Saturday morning, if so...please get in touch - [email protected] ).

Otherwise, an early session out on site on Sunday - from 9am until 11 - that's quite early for a good turnout!

If anyone would like to “go freelance” and help at any time over the weekend, our target is simply to gather up as much of the litter as possible from the whole fire site into bags or just loose piles, for removal later.

If you are able to help out at any time that would be brilliant. Just heap it up for collection.

Warning: the ash is *really* filthy, and please bring some good gloves and footwear – there is a lot of broken glass. The best gloves are "cut-resistant" working gloves, which can be found at places like Wickes, and prevent the possibility of glass cuts... but thick leather gardening gloves are fine.

As always, everyone is welcome, but please be aware of the broken glass, and children must be accompanied, the glass and rusting cans are genuine hazards.