The Lynch Revisited

 Back in 2011, I did some half-hearted grassland management on a small piece of relict chalk grassland above The Lynch between Kingsdown and Ringwould. An old post reminds me what it looked like then.

The bank is by an old track to the nearby farm, which now has a better road and so has no need for the track. The scrub quickly encroached and overwhelmed the track and some of the grassland. My work in 2011 and more by the parish council and other local volunteers since then tried to hold back the tide of Blackthorn, Bramble and Sycamore, but now it's only a shadow of its former self.

There is, however, hope, and some herbs remain, even under scrub. And the parish council have agreed to put some more effort in to recover what it can. A couple of hours with a small team of locals showed what can be done, with before and after photos below.

It doesn't help that this year has been a good Sycamore year, when the ground is covered with seedlings.

The chalk bank had been covered completely by Traveller's Joy, Sycamore and other brutes, and when these were pulled away we could see some stalwart species underneath, well worth saving.

The next event is Saturday 4 July 10-12 , and the plan is to meet on the first Saturday each month till the end of the year.