Ben Bradley visit
8 January 2024
Raffle prize winners
18 December 2023
The draw was made for our fund-raising raffle at 4:00pm at the Christmas Event in Turner Hall on Saturday 9th December. The main prize of the alcoholic hamper was won by Ms S of Ladybrook. Winners of the runner up prizes came from Berry Hill, Pleasley, Shirebrook, West Bank and two from Ladybrook.
Many thanks to all who took part and those who have donated to our fund-raising campaign.
Many thanks to all who took part and those who have donated to our fund-raising campaign.
December update
11 December 2023
Scarifying the wild flower meadow
20 November 2023
One thing that has been noticeable on the Green is how the grass has kept on growing well into the autumn. This mild, wet weather has had an impact on our plans to scarify the wild flower meadow and re-seed with Yellow Rattle. Yellow Rattle helps keep down the grass, allowing wild flowers to flourish. Thanks to Brandon Hire Station, who kindly loaned us their petrol driven scarifier free of charge, we were able to complete the scarifying at the end of October, but it was far too wet to sow the seed. Fortunately, the weather has been very mild for the time of the year, so sowing later in early November will hopefully not make much difference. Now all that we need is some cold frosty weather to get the seed ready for germinating in the spring.
Annual General Meeting
4 November 2023
The trustees are issuing an open invitation for anyone interested to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Mansfield Woodhouse Millennium Green Trust which is being held on Tuesday 28 November 2023 at 7:00pm in the Park Road Resource Centre, 53 Park Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield, NG19 8EG. The trust is the body responsible for the upkeep of the Millennium Green. It will be an opportunity to speak to the trustees, learn about the work that has been carried out on the Green over the past year, find out about the trustees' proposals for the future and put forward your own views and ideas. Hot drinks and light refreshments will be served. We look forward to welcoming you.
September update
15 September 2023
Appeal for funds
5 September 2023
We are currently in the process of raising funds to rebuild a 10 metre section of our Welbeck Road boundary wall. This has been damaged by a combination of the roots of two trees growing close to the wall and the very dry weather followed by heavy rains experienced last year.
Planning consent requires us to rebuild the wall using the same materials with which it was constructed, carefully taking down the affected section without damaging the stone and using lime mortar in the rebuild. The cost will run to around £7,000 including the necessary permits, well in excess of the trust's current financial reserves. |
The trustees are exploring different ways to raise the necessary funds. As part of this effort we are pleased to announce that the Millennium Green’s JustGiving web page is ready to receive donations. If you are able to make a donation and would like to contribute to the fund please go to https://www.justgiving.com/mwm-green and follow the link to “Donate”.
Don’t forget “Every Little Helps” and no matter how big or small the donation, all will be received with gratitude.
We're also holding a Christmas raffle. First prize is a wicker hamper of wines, spirits and liqueurs plus there are 5 runner-up prizes. We'll be selling tickets occasionally outside Sainsbury's and Tesco on Chesterfield Road, or at our weekly and monthly work parties on the Green.
Don’t forget “Every Little Helps” and no matter how big or small the donation, all will be received with gratitude.
We're also holding a Christmas raffle. First prize is a wicker hamper of wines, spirits and liqueurs plus there are 5 runner-up prizes. We'll be selling tickets occasionally outside Sainsbury's and Tesco on Chesterfield Road, or at our weekly and monthly work parties on the Green.
New blood required
17 August 2023
Currently, the Trust is at a cross-roads; a number of key people in the Trustee Group are looking to retire by 2025 and therefore we are in the process of finding people to take their place and help lead the Trust into the future. We are looking for people who are not afraid to get their sleeves rolled up & do the practical work, have a strong commitment to nature conservation, and are prepared to provide leadership by joining the Trustee Group.
If we can’t find new blood the fear is that the Green will lose the variety of habitat it enjoys and will eventually deteriorate to bramble scrub, covered in urban rubbish and a centre for anti-social behaviour. On the other hand if enough people believe that the Green is an asset and a resource worth keeping we need to hear from you and together we need to act now. We have a maximum of two years to set the Millennium Green on a secure course for the next decade and beyond. The Choice is Ours.
If you like the idea of being part of the Green’s team of Volunteers, but are not sure whether you want the commitment of being a Trustee, you would be very welcome to come along, talk to us & explore other possibilities of how you could help.
If we can’t find new blood the fear is that the Green will lose the variety of habitat it enjoys and will eventually deteriorate to bramble scrub, covered in urban rubbish and a centre for anti-social behaviour. On the other hand if enough people believe that the Green is an asset and a resource worth keeping we need to hear from you and together we need to act now. We have a maximum of two years to set the Millennium Green on a secure course for the next decade and beyond. The Choice is Ours.
If you like the idea of being part of the Green’s team of Volunteers, but are not sure whether you want the commitment of being a Trustee, you would be very welcome to come along, talk to us & explore other possibilities of how you could help.
June update
30 June 2023
Spring sale
1 June 2023
The Green had a very successful fund raiser on Saturday 27 May when we held our third Spring sale of plants, bric-a-brac, nearly new items and books with takings of over £320. This is the third event of this kind that we’ve held and our biggest fund-raiser yet.
Once again we were very lucky to be able to hold the event outside the library on Church Street and sincere thanks go to Library Manager and staff who gave us every help possible. And of course, a big thank you to our brilliant volunteers & supporters, so if you grew plants, donated bric-a-brac & books, publicised the event, or came along and helped on the day….. many thanks indeed!
Once again we were very lucky to be able to hold the event outside the library on Church Street and sincere thanks go to Library Manager and staff who gave us every help possible. And of course, a big thank you to our brilliant volunteers & supporters, so if you grew plants, donated bric-a-brac & books, publicised the event, or came along and helped on the day….. many thanks indeed!
Another tree lost
11 May 2023
It doesn’t happen very often, but when we have a tree vandalised so badly that it is a total loss it does make you wonder whether it’s worth trying to create a Community Orchard that is open to everyone. The tree, a cooking apple variety called “Baron Ward” was one of the original 26 trees planted in November 2016 by children from The Bramble Academy. It has to be said has never actually produced fruit. However, after some inspired pruning over the last couple of years it seemed to be on the “mend” and we were hopeful that it would eventually produce apples.
The police have been informed. If anyone knows anything about when it happened and who did it we would be pleased to hear from them.
The police have been informed. If anyone knows anything about when it happened and who did it we would be pleased to hear from them.
Spring sale
11 May 2023
We're holding a Spring Sale on the morning of Saturday 27th May. We'll have a selection garden plants to buy (annual & perennial) including geraniums, plus brand new unwanted gifts, books, crafts and nearly new items. Come and grab a bargain. Our stall will be outside the library in Mansfield Woodhouse between 10:00 am and 12 noon on the 27th May.
Horses
4 April 2023
We're pleased to welcome two new volunteers to help us keep the grass down on the Green over the summer - Rosie and Ruby. They're young horses, both calm and friendly. No doubt they would eat all the carrots and apples their fan club brings, but please feed them in moderation. The occasional carrot or apple is fine, but please don't bring bags full as it's really not good for them.
The horses are tethered on the Green by their owner, Keith, with permission of the Green's trustees. Keith assures us that Maggsie, the horse that cropped the Green for several years, is fine and enjoying her retirement untethered in a field between Pleasley and New Houghton which she shares with another horse .
The horses are tethered on the Green by their owner, Keith, with permission of the Green's trustees. Keith assures us that Maggsie, the horse that cropped the Green for several years, is fine and enjoying her retirement untethered in a field between Pleasley and New Houghton which she shares with another horse .
Tree work
31 March 2023
Regular travellers along Welbeck Road and users of the Green will have noticed that we had two trees removed on 28 March. These were both growing close to the pedestrian entrance near the old cemetery; one was an Ash tree and the other a three stemmed Sycamore tree. They were felled on the advice of a Tree Surveyor because their roots were damaging the wall on the boundary with Welbeck Road. The Tree Surveyors concern was that if left as they were they would have eventually caused the wall to fail, and topple onto the pavement and road. There was also the likelihood of the trees falling at the same time. This could have had catastrophic consequences for anyone in the vicinity. We are very sorry for any disturbance caused and apologise to anyone who was inconvenienced by the work.
There are certain people in our community who seem to think and indeed spread their idea, that the Millennium Green enjoy taking trees down. Someone actually said that we will not be happy until all trees have been removed from the Green. As well as being nonsense, this couldn’t be further from the truth and would in fact be impossible.
In part we manage the Green for wildlife and trees are an essential part of that effort providing habitat, food, shelter and breeding opportunities for a wide variety of living beings, from the obvious birds to fungi. Trees are part of what the Green is about and so we only fell trees that have either blown down or been condemned as unsafe by a Tree Surveyor.
Even if we wanted to we could not take trees down without Planning Consent because the Green is in a Conservation Area which also means that we are obliged by the planning rules to replace any tree that we have to fell.
Look at our record. Since 2013 the Trust has planted 7 x Field Maple, 5 x Rowan, 4 x English Oaks, 2 x Bird Cherry & 2 x Wild Cherry plus the Community Orchard , plus approximately 120m2 of mixed hawthorn, blackthorn and guilder rose thicket and 65m of mixed hedge of hawthorn, blackthorn, wild privet and purging buckthorn. We have a policy of only planting native species that are suited to our soil type & fit with our Natural Area.
There’s also another reason why we don’t like chopping trees down…… and that’s because it is a very expensive business. For example the two that were taken down in March ’23; cost £400+ to have them felled and to replace them with two standard Downey Birch trees will cost a further £260 (approx.) plus delivery. Then on top of that we will have to buy stakes and, depending where we plant them, welded mesh tree guards to keep the vandals off; so it’s possible the whole project could cost £850.
If anyone has any questions, or comments relating to the above please feel free to get in touch.
There are certain people in our community who seem to think and indeed spread their idea, that the Millennium Green enjoy taking trees down. Someone actually said that we will not be happy until all trees have been removed from the Green. As well as being nonsense, this couldn’t be further from the truth and would in fact be impossible.
In part we manage the Green for wildlife and trees are an essential part of that effort providing habitat, food, shelter and breeding opportunities for a wide variety of living beings, from the obvious birds to fungi. Trees are part of what the Green is about and so we only fell trees that have either blown down or been condemned as unsafe by a Tree Surveyor.
Even if we wanted to we could not take trees down without Planning Consent because the Green is in a Conservation Area which also means that we are obliged by the planning rules to replace any tree that we have to fell.
Look at our record. Since 2013 the Trust has planted 7 x Field Maple, 5 x Rowan, 4 x English Oaks, 2 x Bird Cherry & 2 x Wild Cherry plus the Community Orchard , plus approximately 120m2 of mixed hawthorn, blackthorn and guilder rose thicket and 65m of mixed hedge of hawthorn, blackthorn, wild privet and purging buckthorn. We have a policy of only planting native species that are suited to our soil type & fit with our Natural Area.
There’s also another reason why we don’t like chopping trees down…… and that’s because it is a very expensive business. For example the two that were taken down in March ’23; cost £400+ to have them felled and to replace them with two standard Downey Birch trees will cost a further £260 (approx.) plus delivery. Then on top of that we will have to buy stakes and, depending where we plant them, welded mesh tree guards to keep the vandals off; so it’s possible the whole project could cost £850.
If anyone has any questions, or comments relating to the above please feel free to get in touch.
January update
10 February 2023
Notice of Annual General Meeting
4 November 2022
The trustees are issuing an open invitation for anyone interested to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Mansfield Woodhouse Millennium Green Trust which is being held on Wednesday 23 November 2022 at 7:00pm in the Park Road Resource Centre, 53 Park Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield, NG19 8EG. The trust is the body responsible for the upkeep of the Millennium Green. It will be an opportunity to speak to the trustees, learn about the work that has been carried out on the Green over the past year, find out about the trustees' proposals for the future and put forward your own views and ideas. We look forward to welcoming you.
October update
4 November 2022
Update on Trees
18 August 2022
It appears that our plan to re-hydrate the Oaks impacted by the recent very hot weather and bring them back to health is already paying dividends. We’ve carried out the work outlined below earlier this month on the two most seriously distressed oak trees and just have to clear the grass from around the third to complete the task. We have already noticed that the tree most affected has started to put out fresh leaves. These are few in number and not very evenly spread throughout the canopy, but it is a sure sign that the tree is recovering. |
Drought impact on Trees
15 August 2022
It’s not just us humans who have been impacted by the extremely hot weather; some of our trees on the Green are also feeling the full impact of the lack of rain and high temperatures.
Towards the end of autumn we planted two Field Maple trees on the Donkey steps to replace one tree that had been felled and another that had blown down. We followed this by planting a Bird Cherry near the Orchard at the end of winter to replace another tree that had succumbed to high winds. We expected these to struggle in their first year and have been regularly watering them with around 25 litres per week. So far, all three are doing very well and show little, if any sign of stress.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the Oaks, planted to commemorate the end of World War One. One tree in particular is looking very distressed. This tree was planted in November 2020 as a replacement for one of the original trees that was vandalised beyond saving. It has lost at least 75% of its leaf cover, which is the tree’s mechanism to stop water loss through the leaves. A second tree, one of the original 2018 planting is also losing it leaves, but not to the same extent. In contrast the third tree looks so good it could be growing on a different planet!
What we doing about it?
1. We’re giving the trees 50 litre of water per week in two doses.
2. Made holes in the ground so that the water gets to the roots quicker.
3. Put a 3” layer of bark inside the weldmesh cage to reduce water evaporation.
4. Removed grass from all the way round the cage to cut down competition for the water.
5. Built a bund on the down-hill side of the tree to reduce run off.
Hopefully the above strategies will help the tree survive into the autumn and beyond.
Towards the end of autumn we planted two Field Maple trees on the Donkey steps to replace one tree that had been felled and another that had blown down. We followed this by planting a Bird Cherry near the Orchard at the end of winter to replace another tree that had succumbed to high winds. We expected these to struggle in their first year and have been regularly watering them with around 25 litres per week. So far, all three are doing very well and show little, if any sign of stress.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the Oaks, planted to commemorate the end of World War One. One tree in particular is looking very distressed. This tree was planted in November 2020 as a replacement for one of the original trees that was vandalised beyond saving. It has lost at least 75% of its leaf cover, which is the tree’s mechanism to stop water loss through the leaves. A second tree, one of the original 2018 planting is also losing it leaves, but not to the same extent. In contrast the third tree looks so good it could be growing on a different planet!
What we doing about it?
1. We’re giving the trees 50 litre of water per week in two doses.
2. Made holes in the ground so that the water gets to the roots quicker.
3. Put a 3” layer of bark inside the weldmesh cage to reduce water evaporation.
4. Removed grass from all the way round the cage to cut down competition for the water.
5. Built a bund on the down-hill side of the tree to reduce run off.
Hopefully the above strategies will help the tree survive into the autumn and beyond.
Spring sale
12 May 2022
We're holding a Spring Sale on the morning of Saturday 28th May. We'll have a selection garden plants to buy including geraniums (annual & perennial), hostas, geum, various grasses, alpines, sunflowers, tomatoes and pumpkins plus brand new unwanted gifts (from candles, bobble hats to moisturiser), books, crafts and nearly new items. Come and grab a bargain. Our stall will be outside the library in Mansfield Woodhouse between 10:00 am and 12 noon on the 28th May.
Winter tree and hedge work
4 April 2022
We’ve been busy over the last couple of months of winter with a number of tree work tasks. These tasks include pruning some of the trees in the Community Orchard, but because fruit trees are best pruned at certain times of year depending on what fruit they produce only, apple & pear trees have been touched. These are sometimes called “pip” fruit because they have pips whereas cherry, damson & plum are called “stone” fruit for obvious reasons. After a great effort by our volunteers we just managed to finish the 12 pip fruit trees before 1st March. The seven stone fruit species growing in the orchard will be pruned after they have flowered.
Another job that we usually carry out mid-February is cutting the Welbeck Road hedge down to open up the view to people passing by. Much of this hedge is predominately Hazel so it quickly grows back to provide forage for birds, bats and insects. We also use what we cut off to make habitat piles which give cover and breeding sites for insects.
The best time to plant bare-root trees is over winter and we just managed to squeeze the planting of a new Bird Cherry tree before the first day of spring. This was a replacement for a tree of the same species that grew over by the cemetery wall, near the pedestrian entrance and came down in 2021. We planted the new tree on the opposite side of the path over from the Interpretation Board. It’s quite a costly exercise planting trees, particularly if you have to plant them in easily accessible areas and likely to attract vandals. The whole exercise cost £130.00 with the metal mesh guard & extra stakes making up over 50% of that figure.
Two New Trees
24 February 2022
We’ve recently planted two Field Maple trees on the boundary along the Donkey Steps to replace trees that were removed last year. This species is the only Maple that is native to the British Isles and will add a splash of autumn colour on that hedgerow.
The actual planting was relatively straight forward, what took the most effort was digging a hole wide enough. We anticipated that we would encounter roots because there are several established trees along that boundary, but we didn’t think that we would have quite so much difficulty removing blocks of sandstone. It was almost as if we had found the foundations of an old stone wall.
In the end the trees went in and were staked to give them support while their roots grow and provide natural stability. Finally we gave them a good watering, which is something we will have to keep doing as the ground is quite sandy there.
The actual planting was relatively straight forward, what took the most effort was digging a hole wide enough. We anticipated that we would encounter roots because there are several established trees along that boundary, but we didn’t think that we would have quite so much difficulty removing blocks of sandstone. It was almost as if we had found the foundations of an old stone wall.
In the end the trees went in and were staked to give them support while their roots grow and provide natural stability. Finally we gave them a good watering, which is something we will have to keep doing as the ground is quite sandy there.
January update
31 January 2022
Notice of Annual General Meeting
10 November 2021
The trustees are issuing an open invitation for anyone interested to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Mansfield Woodhouse Millennium Green Trust which is being held on Wednesday 24 November 2021 at 7:00pm in St Edmund’s Church, Old Manor Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, NG19 9LX. The trust is the body responsible for the upkeep of the Millennium Green. It will be an opportunity to speak to the trustees, learn about the work that has been carried out on the Green over the past year, find out about the trustees' proposals for the future and put forward your own views and ideas. We look forward to welcoming you.
Trustee update
27 August 2021
Unusual visitor
27 August 2021
If you visit the Green in the near future you might see this white bird the Green. This unusual blackbird was spotted on the Green on Thursday 26 August foraging for food on the meadow area. It spent several minutes under the wild cherry trees before flying off towards the main gates. Blackbirds with some white feathers aren’t all that unusual, but albino birds are quite rare in the wild.
According to the RSPB: “Albinism is a genetic mutation where a total lack of melanin is unable to be produced. Albinos have red or pink eyes, pale coloured skin, legs and feet and a pale coloured beak. The red or pink eye is caused by the lack of pigment in the eye, allowing the blood to be visible”.
Understandably albino birds don’t tend to survive very long as they are easy for predators to see, but they also often have poor eyesight and are weaker.
According to the RSPB: “Albinism is a genetic mutation where a total lack of melanin is unable to be produced. Albinos have red or pink eyes, pale coloured skin, legs and feet and a pale coloured beak. The red or pink eye is caused by the lack of pigment in the eye, allowing the blood to be visible”.
Understandably albino birds don’t tend to survive very long as they are easy for predators to see, but they also often have poor eyesight and are weaker.
Tool store opening ceremony
27 August 2021
The official opening ceremony of the Tool Store and Volunteer Base finally took place on Saturday 21st August and coincided with the Green's annual volunteer picnic. It was a case of third time lucky, as two previous attempts to hold the event had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
The project was funded by generous grants from The National Lottery Community Fund, Notts. County Council's Local Improvement Scheme and Mansfield Building Society together with donations from local county councillors and supporters of the Green. We were pleased to welcome onto the Green Jess Myers representing the National Lottery and councillors Roger Jackson and Anne Callaghan representing Notts. County Council. |
The new tool store and volunteer base has transformed work on the Green. We now know where all the tools are and everything readily to hand when required. Briefing and training volunteers can now take place inside, away from the elements. Reference material is now stored on site. Much more time is now spent maintaining the Green and undertaking conservation work.
Green closure for a couple of hours
24 June 2021
Meadow flowers
20 June 2021
After a slow start the wild flower meadow is blooming wonderfully with a good show of buttercups over the past couple of weeks. We have at least two varieties of this common wildflower, the Meadow Buttercup and the Bulbous Buttercup. Here are some easy ways to tell them apart:
Meadow Butercups' leaves have 5 finely cut lobes, with a smooth flower stalk and sepals spread out just under the petals.
Bulbous Buttercups' leaves have 3 lobes, the central lobe being long stalked, while theirs flower stalks are grooved and the sepals are turned down, hugging the stalk.
Other plants that are in flower in the Meadow include Ribwort Plantain, Common Sorrel and in the last week Oxeye Daisies have started to come out. We don’t seem to have as many of these large daises as in previous years. Red & White Campion is a plant that is few and far between in the meadow, but fortunately abundant elsewhere on the Green. Later this month we should see Common Knapweed which is now in bud and Yarrow flowering.
We have also noticed good numbers of Yellow Rattle which is very satisfying as the Green’s volunteers put a lot of effort in during last autumn and winter spot sowing rattle seed and growing plug plants. However, we can’t take all the credit because the frosty weather we experienced certainly helped. Rattle is an annual plant so we are dependent on good seed production this year and favourable germination conditions over winter to produce a good crop in 2022. However, It’s too early to worry about that – so let us just enjoy the meadow as it is!
Meadow Butercups' leaves have 5 finely cut lobes, with a smooth flower stalk and sepals spread out just under the petals.
Bulbous Buttercups' leaves have 3 lobes, the central lobe being long stalked, while theirs flower stalks are grooved and the sepals are turned down, hugging the stalk.
Other plants that are in flower in the Meadow include Ribwort Plantain, Common Sorrel and in the last week Oxeye Daisies have started to come out. We don’t seem to have as many of these large daises as in previous years. Red & White Campion is a plant that is few and far between in the meadow, but fortunately abundant elsewhere on the Green. Later this month we should see Common Knapweed which is now in bud and Yarrow flowering.
We have also noticed good numbers of Yellow Rattle which is very satisfying as the Green’s volunteers put a lot of effort in during last autumn and winter spot sowing rattle seed and growing plug plants. However, we can’t take all the credit because the frosty weather we experienced certainly helped. Rattle is an annual plant so we are dependent on good seed production this year and favourable germination conditions over winter to produce a good crop in 2022. However, It’s too early to worry about that – so let us just enjoy the meadow as it is!
Update on Magsie the horse
20 June 2021
Having had a chat with Magsie's owner, we are please to report that herhoof problem is starting to improve - see the report headed "Magsie" dated 25 May 2021 below. Much to her delight, Magsie is slowly being allowed to eat more grass rather than hay only diet initially prescribed. Magsie's vet blamed her ailment on the super-rich grass diet she had been gorging herself on on the Green.
Cowslip Survey
11 June 2021
The UK charity “Plantlife” is promoting a pan-European research study organised by the University of Estonia that is measuring the genetic diversity of cowslips. The researchers say that this will give an indication of the overall health of meadows and other natural grassland. Cowslips were once very common, but suffered a steep decline in the fifty years to 1980 as more species rich grassland was turned over to intensively managed food production. Traditional meadows and unimproved grassland now only make up 1% of the UK’s land area.
There are two types of cowslip: one where the male parts, or stamen can be easily seen and the other where the stigma, or female part of the flower is clearly visible. These are called the “S morph” and the “L morph” respectively. According to Plantlife: “This difference promotes cross-pollination between unrelated plants, keeping populations healthy and robust. It’s a phenomenon found in some flowers which was first understood by Charles Darwin.” In healthy populations of cowslips there should be a 50:50 split, but it can become imbalanced when populations become small and isolated due to loss of habitat, or because of changes to the way the land is managed.
In May, volunteers carried out a Type Survey and counted a total of 67 individual plants on the Green, all but three growing in the meadow and adjoining Welbeck Road hedge. The ratio here was 63:37 with more plants being of the “S morph” type.
This is similar to the results of surveys in Estonia where there was a similar imbalance in favour of “S morph” type.
There are two types of cowslip: one where the male parts, or stamen can be easily seen and the other where the stigma, or female part of the flower is clearly visible. These are called the “S morph” and the “L morph” respectively. According to Plantlife: “This difference promotes cross-pollination between unrelated plants, keeping populations healthy and robust. It’s a phenomenon found in some flowers which was first understood by Charles Darwin.” In healthy populations of cowslips there should be a 50:50 split, but it can become imbalanced when populations become small and isolated due to loss of habitat, or because of changes to the way the land is managed.
In May, volunteers carried out a Type Survey and counted a total of 67 individual plants on the Green, all but three growing in the meadow and adjoining Welbeck Road hedge. The ratio here was 63:37 with more plants being of the “S morph” type.
This is similar to the results of surveys in Estonia where there was a similar imbalance in favour of “S morph” type.
Magsie
25 May 2021
Magsie is our resident lawn mower and can be found tethered on the Green between April and September each year with the permission of the Trust. She's a great favourite with visitors who spoil her with carrots and apples. Magsie is much loved by her owner, who makes sure she has a fresh supply of grass and water every day.
Her owner recently became concerned that Magsie had a hoof problem and called in a farrier. Magsie's hooves were trimmed, but the farrier recommended she see a vet. The vet diagnosed that Magsie is suffering from laminitis. Fortunately it's been caught early as it's a painful condition, similar to gout in humans. It has probably been brought on by too rich a diet. Accordingly Magsie is now on |
medication and is on a diet of hay, so she is not being moved to fresh every day. We wish Magsie a speedy recovery.
Growing Yellow Rattle
18 May 2021
Last autumn we set our selves the challenge of seeing if we could grow our own Yellow Rattle plug plants. Yellow Rattle is an important meadow plant but quite difficult to grow as the seed needs just the right temperature in order to germinate. It will only sprout if it is subject to frosty conditions for a period over the winter. In October 2020 we had no idea what the weather was going to be like so decided to experiment with putting the seed in a fridge or freezer for a certain length of time to emulate frosty conditions. As winter progressed we realised that we didn’t really need to worry about artificially chilling the seed because nature was doing a pretty good job by itself.
As well as cold conditions, Yellow Rattle needs to be sown with grass as it is parasitic and latches onto grass roots to get some of its nourishment. Although it will attach itself to any grass the best ones are the fescues so we sowed our Yellow Rattle seed in cells with seed of Hard Fescue. By the end of October we had seven trays of plugs making a total of 588 individual cells and these were distributed to our volunteers to look after over the winter.
By the beginning of April we ended up with 345 viable plants which represents a success rate of nearly 60% and a saving of around £200 when costs are taken into account. These were planted in an area of the meadow where the grass is very lush in the hope that Yellow Rattle’s parasitic behaviour will slow grass growth giving more space for wild flowers.
As well as cold conditions, Yellow Rattle needs to be sown with grass as it is parasitic and latches onto grass roots to get some of its nourishment. Although it will attach itself to any grass the best ones are the fescues so we sowed our Yellow Rattle seed in cells with seed of Hard Fescue. By the end of October we had seven trays of plugs making a total of 588 individual cells and these were distributed to our volunteers to look after over the winter.
By the beginning of April we ended up with 345 viable plants which represents a success rate of nearly 60% and a saving of around £200 when costs are taken into account. These were planted in an area of the meadow where the grass is very lush in the hope that Yellow Rattle’s parasitic behaviour will slow grass growth giving more space for wild flowers.
Spring sale
14 May 2021
We're holding a Spring Sale on the morning of Saturday 29th May which will be our first fundraising event for 17 months. We'll have a selection garden plants to buy (mainly perennials but also geraniums) plus brand new unwanted gifts (from candles, bobble hats to moisturiser), books, crafts and nearly new items. Come and grab a bargain. Our stall will be outside the library in Mansfield Woodhouse between 10:00 am and 12 noon on the 29th May.
An Unwelcome Visitor?
3 May 2021
This handsome insect is a Harlequin ladybird and is a non-native species which originates from Asia. The Harlequin is larger than our native ladybirds and can be found with 100 different colour patterns, spread over 40 different species. Some have up to 19 black spots on a red or orange base, others have two or four red spots on a black base. It was introduced to some countries to keep aphids under control.
It wasn’t deliberately introduced to the UK but was first found around 2004 and has rapidly become one of the dominant ladybird species in the country. It is now wide spread in England & Wales and is spreading into Scotland. It is a voracious predator and can out-compete our native species for aphid-prey. It also eats the eggs & larvae of other species of ladybird, butterflies and moths as well as taking other small insects. It is also be cannibalistic.
The concern is that it will out-compete some of our native species and lead to a decline in their numbers. The jury is still out on this issue. While some species of ladybird are adversely impacted by the presence of the Harlequin other species are able to co-exist alongside them.
It wasn’t deliberately introduced to the UK but was first found around 2004 and has rapidly become one of the dominant ladybird species in the country. It is now wide spread in England & Wales and is spreading into Scotland. It is a voracious predator and can out-compete our native species for aphid-prey. It also eats the eggs & larvae of other species of ladybird, butterflies and moths as well as taking other small insects. It is also be cannibalistic.
The concern is that it will out-compete some of our native species and lead to a decline in their numbers. The jury is still out on this issue. While some species of ladybird are adversely impacted by the presence of the Harlequin other species are able to co-exist alongside them.
A Windthrown Cherry Tree
16 April 2021
A week ago we turned up for our weekly work party on the Green thinking that there wasn’t much to do, but that was before we found that one of our trees had been blown down. This was a Wild Cherry tree on the boundary with the old Victorian cemetery near the pedestrian entrance. The tree wasn’t completely down, but leaning at about 45 degrees over the footpath, propped against a large sycamore tree growing on the Welbeck Road boundary. Of course it could have stayed there for months, but on the other hand it could have been dislodged by a high wind the next day presenting a very real hazard to visitors to the Green. There was nothing for it but to cut the tree down, a task greatly helped by Maurice, one of our neighbours, who brought his chainsaw and made very quick work of the trunk. This just left the task was cutting all the small twigs and branches to make a habitat pile. We intend to replant with a suitable native tree that commonly grows on the Green's soil type.
Tree Guards for the Three Oaks
28 March 2021
tEarlier this year we suffered a serious incident of vandalism on the Green when one of the Three Oaks, planted to commemorate the end of World War One, was so seriously damaged that it had to be removed – see the news item dated 16 August for details and photo.
After some discussion the Trustees decided to replace the damaged tree and found that the cost of oak trees had doubled since the original purchase in November 2018. Fund raising in the pandemic has been difficult as we have lost the opportunity to raise income at community events, so we were very fortunate that a number of our volunteers & trustees covered the cost of the new tree. It was planted in the same spot as the original tree at the end of November last year.
The increase cost is a result of a ban on the importation of oak trees from the continent in an attempt to halt the spread of the Processionary Oak Moth. The caterpillar of this moth was originally confined to southern Europe but has spread northwards and has been found in trees in London.
The Three Oaks have just been given more protection in the form of metal mesh guards. The mesh was donated by NCC’s Greenwood Community Forest with each guard being made from three 2ft wide panels assembled on site to fit around the existing stakes. These stakes were put in to support the trees at the time of the original planting and to make the guards more secure we hammered in another couple of stakes at each tree.
We have also decided not to mow the area immediately around the trees to make it less accessible. This is what we’ve done in the orchard and it seems to have worked, keeping casual vandalism to a minimum. We’ve lost two trees there but they were particularly vulnerable being right alongside the path and within easy reach of people passing by. We know that this measure will not be universally welcomed, but it won’t be forever. Once the trees become established and put some girth on we will return that area to something more fitting.
After some discussion the Trustees decided to replace the damaged tree and found that the cost of oak trees had doubled since the original purchase in November 2018. Fund raising in the pandemic has been difficult as we have lost the opportunity to raise income at community events, so we were very fortunate that a number of our volunteers & trustees covered the cost of the new tree. It was planted in the same spot as the original tree at the end of November last year.
The increase cost is a result of a ban on the importation of oak trees from the continent in an attempt to halt the spread of the Processionary Oak Moth. The caterpillar of this moth was originally confined to southern Europe but has spread northwards and has been found in trees in London.
The Three Oaks have just been given more protection in the form of metal mesh guards. The mesh was donated by NCC’s Greenwood Community Forest with each guard being made from three 2ft wide panels assembled on site to fit around the existing stakes. These stakes were put in to support the trees at the time of the original planting and to make the guards more secure we hammered in another couple of stakes at each tree.
We have also decided not to mow the area immediately around the trees to make it less accessible. This is what we’ve done in the orchard and it seems to have worked, keeping casual vandalism to a minimum. We’ve lost two trees there but they were particularly vulnerable being right alongside the path and within easy reach of people passing by. We know that this measure will not be universally welcomed, but it won’t be forever. Once the trees become established and put some girth on we will return that area to something more fitting.
Tree work
3 February 2021
Last summer the Trust arranged for a tree survey to be undertaken by a professional Notts County Council Tree Officer. We have to pay for this inspection every few years to ensure that the trees on the Green are safe and do not present a risk to walkers on the Green and people travelling along our boundaries.
On this occasion the Tree Officer identified a number of trees that needed attention, some that the Green’s volunteers could do without any professional help. These included:
On this occasion the Tree Officer identified a number of trees that needed attention, some that the Green’s volunteers could do without any professional help. These included:
- Crown raising trees that grew alongside the paths.so that people could walk under the lowest branches without hitting their heads.
- Removing dead wood and ivy from trees on the Donkey Steps to reduce weight and wind resistance high in the canopy.
- Removing ivy from three trees along the boundary with the cemetery to enable a further inspection to see whether any additional work was required.
- An ash tree on Welbeck Road, near the bottom of the Donkey Steps that had several branches that were interfering with telephone lines and obscuring the street light.
- A hazel tree, again on the Welbeck Road boundary opposite Poplar Street. This had a stem removed that was blocking the street light.
- A group of multi stemmed sycamores adjacent to the top path that have been damaged by people having fires at their base and were therefore at risk of being toppled by high winds. These had their crowns reduced by 3 – 4 metres and a weak stem removed.
- A twin stem sycamore on the Donkey Steps boundary that had a weak joint where the two stems divided. This was taken down to 1.5 metres.
Kissing gate
3 February 2021
We’ve had a number of comments and questions recently about the kissing gate on Welbeck Road being locked. Certainly there is a big orange padlock on the gate, but this doesn’t stop pedestrians accessing the Green. You can open the kissing gate simply by lifting the latch on the fixed part of the gate. This is circled in red on the first two photographs. You need to lift the knob marked with a white dot and the moving part of the gate will open freely.
The flat metal plate on the moving part of the gate, which engages with the latch is held in position by the orange padlock. This is part of the mechanism which enables people using mobility scooters and motorised wheelchairs to get onto the Green. The padlock can be unlocked with a RADAR key – the same key that gives access to public disabled toilets. This allows the flat metal plate to be moved side-ways and the gate to open wide as shown in the third photo.
The flat metal plate on the moving part of the gate, which engages with the latch is held in position by the orange padlock. This is part of the mechanism which enables people using mobility scooters and motorised wheelchairs to get onto the Green. The padlock can be unlocked with a RADAR key – the same key that gives access to public disabled toilets. This allows the flat metal plate to be moved side-ways and the gate to open wide as shown in the third photo.
Winter Sports Delight
18 January 2021
Thursday 14 January brought the first significant snow of the winter. True to form the snow brought lots of people onto the Green – all social distancing and keeping in family groups and bubbles – to enjoy a spot of sledging, snowboarding or snow balling. It was probably a welcome break for both children and parents from endless days of home schooling.
Nature Taking Its Course
23 December 2020
Those of you who have recently visited the Wolves of Woodhouse carving on the Green will have noticed that part of the tree to the left of the carving has started to decay. This is part of the natural process where dead tissue is broken down and provides food for species at the bottom of the food chain. Something like 20% of insects thrive on dead and decaying wood and 1800 species rely on dead wood at some point in their lives. These small creatures in turn provide food for insect eating birds and mammals.
The process of decomposition is helped by fungi that grow on the wood and send out long white threads called mycelium in search of food. By taking nutrients from the dead wood they break down its cellular structure and help nutrients return back to the soil. Fungi work their magic on all dead animals and plants and without this process we wouldn’t be able to move for dead vegetation and the soil would be so depleted of nutrients that life as we know it wouldn’t exist.
For a number of years the tree had a very well developed bracket fungus growing where there is now an extensive void. This fungi was called Ganaderma applanatum; the underside is creamy white and can be drawn on with a sharp point which is why it is also known as Artist’s Fungus.
Even though we treat the carving with preservative in the spring & autumn it will eventually rot away. Unless something happens to accelerate the process, we expect it to last around 20 years from when it was carved in 2016 so there is still plenty of time to enjoy it.
The process of decomposition is helped by fungi that grow on the wood and send out long white threads called mycelium in search of food. By taking nutrients from the dead wood they break down its cellular structure and help nutrients return back to the soil. Fungi work their magic on all dead animals and plants and without this process we wouldn’t be able to move for dead vegetation and the soil would be so depleted of nutrients that life as we know it wouldn’t exist.
For a number of years the tree had a very well developed bracket fungus growing where there is now an extensive void. This fungi was called Ganaderma applanatum; the underside is creamy white and can be drawn on with a sharp point which is why it is also known as Artist’s Fungus.
Even though we treat the carving with preservative in the spring & autumn it will eventually rot away. Unless something happens to accelerate the process, we expect it to last around 20 years from when it was carved in 2016 so there is still plenty of time to enjoy it.
Free firewood
12 December 2020
We're having to have a tree cut down on the Green for safety reasons. The work is due to be carried out sometime during the first week in January. If you'd like to collect some free logs, please get in touch via the Contacts page. Remember to include your phone number. Local delivery can be arranged for a donation to the Green's funds.
Notice of the Trust's Annual General Meeting
1 December 2020
The Trustees invite you to attend the Mansfield Woodhouse Millennium Green Annual General Meeting which is being held on Tuesday 15th December 2020 at 7:00pm. We are unable to meet in person due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, so instead we are holding the meeting virtually via a Zoom videoconference.
If you'd like to attend, please contact the Trust using the contact form on this web site or email [email protected]. You will be sent copies of all the documentation that will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting plus full details of how to join the Zoom meeting.
If you'd like to attend, please contact the Trust using the contact form on this web site or email [email protected]. You will be sent copies of all the documentation that will be discussed at the Annual General Meeting plus full details of how to join the Zoom meeting.
October Monthly Work Party
22 October 2020
We had a good turn out for October's monthly work party last Saturday with ten volunteers turning up to help keep the Green looking good. Social distancing regulations meant that we had to be careful to keep groups down to a maximum of six people, but that wasn’t too difficult with all the different jobs that needed to be done. The task list included the inevitable litter-picking, building a retaining wall near the Gate, removing self-set trees from the boundary hedge, mowing the orchard and a bigger group working on the meadow.
Back in June we reported that we had seen very few Yellow Rattle plants growing in the meadow – see article “A Meadow of Two Halves" 18/06/20. Rattle is important in the meadow because it takes nutrients from grasses, which inhibits their growth and gives wildflower plants a chance to thrive. The result was that in most of the meadow we had a bumper crop of grass, but fewer flowers than in previous years. The long term effect was that, because Rattle is an annual, the plants die off in the autumn having dropped their seed and new plants are grown from this seed to flower next spring. Fewer plants this year, mean fewer seeds are produced for next year’s crop of Rattle so grasses have an easier time and are more able to overpower the wildflower population.
The remedy was to buy more Rattle seed to re-sow this autumn and hope that the seed has the right conditions to germinate. We gave it the best chance by mowing the grass down to about an inch high and making sure that the seed made contact with bare soil. All that we need now is a spell of cold & frosty weather. Rattle seeds need a cold spell or they just won’t germinate, which was the problem last winter. Keep your fingers crossed for a bumper crop of Yellow Rattle aka the “Meadow Maker” in 2021!
If you'd like to get involved, we hold monthly work parties on the third Saturday morning each month between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon. Weekly work parties are usually held each Tuesday morning from 9:30, but please contact the trustees before turning up to confirm there has been no change of plan.
Back in June we reported that we had seen very few Yellow Rattle plants growing in the meadow – see article “A Meadow of Two Halves" 18/06/20. Rattle is important in the meadow because it takes nutrients from grasses, which inhibits their growth and gives wildflower plants a chance to thrive. The result was that in most of the meadow we had a bumper crop of grass, but fewer flowers than in previous years. The long term effect was that, because Rattle is an annual, the plants die off in the autumn having dropped their seed and new plants are grown from this seed to flower next spring. Fewer plants this year, mean fewer seeds are produced for next year’s crop of Rattle so grasses have an easier time and are more able to overpower the wildflower population.
The remedy was to buy more Rattle seed to re-sow this autumn and hope that the seed has the right conditions to germinate. We gave it the best chance by mowing the grass down to about an inch high and making sure that the seed made contact with bare soil. All that we need now is a spell of cold & frosty weather. Rattle seeds need a cold spell or they just won’t germinate, which was the problem last winter. Keep your fingers crossed for a bumper crop of Yellow Rattle aka the “Meadow Maker” in 2021!
If you'd like to get involved, we hold monthly work parties on the third Saturday morning each month between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon. Weekly work parties are usually held each Tuesday morning from 9:30, but please contact the trustees before turning up to confirm there has been no change of plan.
Bunting Art Project
9 October 2020
Some of the Green’s more artistic volunteers and friends recently took part in an art project as part of the 2020 Big Draw Festival. Around 20 groups were invited by Inspire: Culture, Learning & Libraries to paint silk triangles with images that reflect their interests and the county wide Miner2Major nature & heritage themes.
Textile artist, Jess Kemp ran an on-line training session to help the participants with the basic technique of silk painting and Inspire provided the materials – all carefully sanitised and Covid secure. Once completed the triangles will be sewn together to make the bunting that will celebrate the Miner2Major communities and get the project off to a creative, colourful, flying start.
The finished lengths of bunting will become an exhibition and tour Inspire Library Galleries. Then it will be displayed and seen at all the Miner2Major festivals and events throughout 2021.
Textile artist, Jess Kemp ran an on-line training session to help the participants with the basic technique of silk painting and Inspire provided the materials – all carefully sanitised and Covid secure. Once completed the triangles will be sewn together to make the bunting that will celebrate the Miner2Major communities and get the project off to a creative, colourful, flying start.
The finished lengths of bunting will become an exhibition and tour Inspire Library Galleries. Then it will be displayed and seen at all the Miner2Major festivals and events throughout 2021.
Bird feeding project suspended
8 September 2020
The trustees have reluctantly taken the decision to suspend the bird feeding project indefinitely. This decision was taken following numerous incidents of vandalism in the last few weeks, first emptying the contents of bird feeders and culminating in the theft of three bird feeders. It's a great shame as the bird feeding project has been in operation since October 2017 with very little interference until recently.
With the recent destruction of one of the trees in the Three Oaks project to commemorate the centenary of the ending of the First World War, it really feels as though the Green is being targeted at the moment. If you see anything untoward happening on the Green, please jot down a description of who you saw doing what when you get home and report it to us - see the Contact page. Thanks.
With the recent destruction of one of the trees in the Three Oaks project to commemorate the centenary of the ending of the First World War, it really feels as though the Green is being targeted at the moment. If you see anything untoward happening on the Green, please jot down a description of who you saw doing what when you get home and report it to us - see the Contact page. Thanks.
Tool store opening ceremony
3 September 2020
The official opening ceremony of the new tool store and volunteer base will take place on the Green on Saturday 19 September 2020 at 11:00am. Notts. County Councillor Joyce Bosnjak will be officiating. Representatives from Notts. County Council Local Improvement Scheme, The National Lottery Community Fund and Mansfield Building Society who helped fund the project are being invited together with individual donors and volunteers who all helped to make the project a success.
|
Oak Tree Vandalised
16 August 2020
Sometime between 4 pm on Wednesday 12 and mid-day on Thursday 13 August one of the Three Oak Trees that were planted to commemorate the end of the First World War was vandalised. The damage, as can be seen in the photograph, was so extensive that the only course of action open to us was to cut the tree down.
It is particularly depressing because a considerable number of people in the community helped raise funds to buy the oaks and supported the ceremony to plant them in November 2018. Whether the Trust replaces this tree and what we do about safeguarding the other two oaks is open to discussion. Although we have sufficient funds at the moment to replace the tree, the Covid pandemic has meant that we lost the opportunity to raise funds at the Party In The Park and through our annual plant sale. The question is ….. should we spend another £70+ of precious funds to give the mindless hooligan element in our community another target for their anti-social behaviour? |
Rough Hawkbit
25 July 2020
When the wildflower meadow was sown in 2016 Rough Hawkbit was part of the mix, but unfortunately never seemed to get established. However, in 2018 we made a bid for funding through the Pollinator Grant Scheme run by Notts. Wildlife Trust and were lucky enough to gain funding for plug plants of four different varieties of wildflower, all native to the area.
One of these varieties was Rough Hawkbit which, although fairly common, has never been found on the Green so we’re pleased to report that these plugs have become established and we now have a small, but thriving colony of this plant.
Rough Hawkbit is a member of the Daisy family and resembles at first glance another Daisy - the very common Dandelion. The flowers are very similar, although the Hawkbit’s never get as big as a Dandelion’s can and is less regular - in fact it’s described as a bit of a “mop-head” in one guide book. Closer inspection reveals that the Hawkbit’s stem is covered in tiny hairs whereas the Dandelion is hairless. The Dandelion’s stem is hollow and weeps white sap if cut. If the more solid Hawkbit stem is cut it weeps a bluish-white sap. The leaves are also a good indicator of species. The Dandelion leaf is sharply lobed with just a few hairs, or hairless and usually spreads horizontally close to the ground. The leaves of the Hawkbit are very hairy, grow in a more up-right fashion and are variable from just having a wavy edge to being deeply lobed.
You can see Rough Hawkbit near the main gate alongside the path that runs up to the top of the Green.
One of these varieties was Rough Hawkbit which, although fairly common, has never been found on the Green so we’re pleased to report that these plugs have become established and we now have a small, but thriving colony of this plant.
Rough Hawkbit is a member of the Daisy family and resembles at first glance another Daisy - the very common Dandelion. The flowers are very similar, although the Hawkbit’s never get as big as a Dandelion’s can and is less regular - in fact it’s described as a bit of a “mop-head” in one guide book. Closer inspection reveals that the Hawkbit’s stem is covered in tiny hairs whereas the Dandelion is hairless. The Dandelion’s stem is hollow and weeps white sap if cut. If the more solid Hawkbit stem is cut it weeps a bluish-white sap. The leaves are also a good indicator of species. The Dandelion leaf is sharply lobed with just a few hairs, or hairless and usually spreads horizontally close to the ground. The leaves of the Hawkbit are very hairy, grow in a more up-right fashion and are variable from just having a wavy edge to being deeply lobed.
You can see Rough Hawkbit near the main gate alongside the path that runs up to the top of the Green.
A meadow of two halves
18 June 2020
If you’ve been on the Green recently you might have noticed the wildflower meadow and how it has changed over the past year. It was sowed in the autumn of 2016, but we didn’t let it flower in 2017 preferring to keep it short mowed to eliminate unwanted plants, like nettle & dock. However, it certainly blossomed the following year and again in 2019 with a good variety of flowers spread across the entire area. This year has seen a marked change.
In previous years Oxeye Daisy has been the predominant flower at this time of year, and still is in the half nearest the old cemetery, but the other half, towards the main gates has very few daisies. More significantly is the fact that there is less Yellow Rattle overall and almost none in the half nearest the gates. Yellow Rattle is very important in our meadow. It is a parasitic plant that takes nutrients from grasses slowing their growth which in turn makes it easier for wildflower plants to thrive. The impact is clear to see; in the half without the rattle the grass is much more robust and lush with fewer flowers, whilst the grass in the half nearest the cemetery is less rich, thinner and finer which allows more wild flowers to thrive. The reason for this is that Yellow Rattle is an annual so needs to grow from seeds every year and the seeds need a period of cold over winter in order to propagate successfully. Last winter just wasn’t cold enough to allow germination on the scale of previous years.
This of course gives us a problem for 2021, for without the quantity of plants to put out seed this autumn we will have even fewer Yellow Rattle plants next year meaning that the more vigorous grasses will flourish at the expense of the wildflower plants. Perhaps the only thing we can do is sow the meadow with more Yellow Rattle seed in the autumn and hope for some really cold, frosty weather over winter.
Sorry about that!
In previous years Oxeye Daisy has been the predominant flower at this time of year, and still is in the half nearest the old cemetery, but the other half, towards the main gates has very few daisies. More significantly is the fact that there is less Yellow Rattle overall and almost none in the half nearest the gates. Yellow Rattle is very important in our meadow. It is a parasitic plant that takes nutrients from grasses slowing their growth which in turn makes it easier for wildflower plants to thrive. The impact is clear to see; in the half without the rattle the grass is much more robust and lush with fewer flowers, whilst the grass in the half nearest the cemetery is less rich, thinner and finer which allows more wild flowers to thrive. The reason for this is that Yellow Rattle is an annual so needs to grow from seeds every year and the seeds need a period of cold over winter in order to propagate successfully. Last winter just wasn’t cold enough to allow germination on the scale of previous years.
This of course gives us a problem for 2021, for without the quantity of plants to put out seed this autumn we will have even fewer Yellow Rattle plants next year meaning that the more vigorous grasses will flourish at the expense of the wildflower plants. Perhaps the only thing we can do is sow the meadow with more Yellow Rattle seed in the autumn and hope for some really cold, frosty weather over winter.
Sorry about that!
Common Blue Butterfly
2 June 2020
This beautiful little butterfly is a regular visitor to the Green in late spring through until the autumn. Towards the end of May as many as three at a time could be seen in the meadow area with occasional sighting being made along the Welbeck Road boundary where the photo of the mating pair was taken. It has a wing span of between 29 & 38 mm and is the UK’s most widespread blue butterfly.
The males are a distinct blue and are relatively easy to spot while the females are usually brown with orange spots along the trailing edge of the wings. Some females have a hint of deep violet blue near the base of the wing as can be seen in the photo of a female Common Blue photographed in 2017. The under-side of the wing is a complicated pattern of dots and there are many subtle variations, so it’s not always easy to identify the sexes from the under-wing pattern. The under-wing pattern is useful when comparing the Common Blue with another blue butterfly that frequents the Green, the Holly Blue. This has fewer and much small black spots on a very pale blue under-wing.
Because they live in small colonies and feed on a wide variety of plants, the Common Blue can be found almost anywhere in the UK. For this reason they are a good indicator of biodiversity and therefore their continued monitoring is particularly important.
The males are a distinct blue and are relatively easy to spot while the females are usually brown with orange spots along the trailing edge of the wings. Some females have a hint of deep violet blue near the base of the wing as can be seen in the photo of a female Common Blue photographed in 2017. The under-side of the wing is a complicated pattern of dots and there are many subtle variations, so it’s not always easy to identify the sexes from the under-wing pattern. The under-wing pattern is useful when comparing the Common Blue with another blue butterfly that frequents the Green, the Holly Blue. This has fewer and much small black spots on a very pale blue under-wing.
Because they live in small colonies and feed on a wide variety of plants, the Common Blue can be found almost anywhere in the UK. For this reason they are a good indicator of biodiversity and therefore their continued monitoring is particularly important.
Lottery winner donates prize to Green
23 May 2020
The trustees are extremely grateful to Mr S. Not only does he support the Green buy buying tickets for the Robin Hood Lottery, he also donated the £25 prize money he won on last week's draw to the Green. With fund raising opportunities indefinitely on hold during the Coronavirus crisis, income from the Robin Hood Lottery provides a lifeline to allow us to continue to meet the running costs of the Green.
If you'd like to join Mr S in supporting the Green, details of the Robin Hood Lottery are shown on the poster below.
If you'd like to join Mr S in supporting the Green, details of the Robin Hood Lottery are shown on the poster below.
Maintenance work resumes
23 May 2020
You may have noticed that in the last week or so we've recommenced work on the Green every Tuesday morning. The trustees agreed this after advice was received from Mansfield police that it would be OK to do so. Only a small number of volunteers with appropriate PPE will be allowed to work at the same time so that social distancing can be maintained.
Turkey Tail Fungus
14 May 2020
This is a common fungus that can be found at times on the Green growing on hardwood logs and dead tree stumps. Very occasionally it will grow on conifer wood.
It is a bracket fungus and its scientific name of Trametes versicolor aptly describes the variety of colours that it can be found in. These are usually in the brown, blue, green & greys forming concentric rings of contrasting colours not unlike the fan tail of a turkey. Hence its common name of Turkey Tail.
The upper surface is soft to touch in young examples becoming smoother and harder with age. Much depends on the location and weather conditions. The underside is off white, but without the familiar gills associated with many fungi. Instead it has numerous small round, occasionally angular spores. This feature puts it in a Genus of fungi called “Polyporus”.
The Turkey Tail is not often eaten being rather tough and tasteless. It won’t kill you, but you would have to be eating it for a bet or very hungry to try it.
It is a bracket fungus and its scientific name of Trametes versicolor aptly describes the variety of colours that it can be found in. These are usually in the brown, blue, green & greys forming concentric rings of contrasting colours not unlike the fan tail of a turkey. Hence its common name of Turkey Tail.
The upper surface is soft to touch in young examples becoming smoother and harder with age. Much depends on the location and weather conditions. The underside is off white, but without the familiar gills associated with many fungi. Instead it has numerous small round, occasionally angular spores. This feature puts it in a Genus of fungi called “Polyporus”.
The Turkey Tail is not often eaten being rather tough and tasteless. It won’t kill you, but you would have to be eating it for a bet or very hungry to try it.
Spring flowers
26 April 2020
It’s always good to see Spring arrive and the flowers spring up and come into bloom.
The Wildflower Meadow area has put a lot of growth on in the last few weeks no doubt helped by the wet weather in March and early April and the beautiful sunny weather of the last couple of weeks. Here are three flowers that are much in evidence at the moment.
Like last year, there is a lot of Ribwort Plantain in the Meadow. This plant made up 10% of the original seed mix in 2016 and has really thrived in this location. Cowslip is another plant that you can find in the Meadow at this time of year. It made up only 1% of the original seed mix and is increasing year on year.
Red Campion was another variety that constituted 10% of the original seed mix, but this certainly hasn’t done as well as we would have liked. We planted more Campion in the Meadow last autumn, but they’re not doing well at all. Fortunately for us it does well in other parts of the Green and can be seen near the corner where the Store is and near the pedestrian entrance at the top of the Donkey Steps
The Wildflower Meadow area has put a lot of growth on in the last few weeks no doubt helped by the wet weather in March and early April and the beautiful sunny weather of the last couple of weeks. Here are three flowers that are much in evidence at the moment.
Like last year, there is a lot of Ribwort Plantain in the Meadow. This plant made up 10% of the original seed mix in 2016 and has really thrived in this location. Cowslip is another plant that you can find in the Meadow at this time of year. It made up only 1% of the original seed mix and is increasing year on year.
Red Campion was another variety that constituted 10% of the original seed mix, but this certainly hasn’t done as well as we would have liked. We planted more Campion in the Meadow last autumn, but they’re not doing well at all. Fortunately for us it does well in other parts of the Green and can be seen near the corner where the Store is and near the pedestrian entrance at the top of the Donkey Steps
The Song Thrush
15 April 2020
Recently we’ve had several sightings of a Song Thrush feeding on the Green. These attractive birds are part of the family that includes the Blackbird & Robin and were once numerous in both countryside and urban environments. However, between 1970 & 1998 the British Trust for Ornithology estimate that over all habitats the Song Thrush declined by 59%. This reduction in numbers has been more marked in the countryside where sightings dropped by 70%. This is most probably due to modern farming practices which have robbed the bird of nesting habitats and good feeding opportunities. The good news is that in recent years there has been a small improvement in numbers. These have been mainly in urban settings.
This species usually establishes its breeding territory in late winter or early spring. If our bird is regularly feeding on the Green it might indicate that we are in its territory so we could have more sightings as the year progresses.
The Song Thrush is a little bit smaller than a Blackbird with a plain olive-brown back & head and very distinct spotted markings on its breast. The spots are often like little arrow-heads.
You really can’t miss it, but might mistake it for its larger cousin, the Mistle Thrush (locally called a Stormcock). This is about the same size, or a fraction bigger than a Blackbird with a lighter brown back and rounder spots compared to the Song Thrush
This species usually establishes its breeding territory in late winter or early spring. If our bird is regularly feeding on the Green it might indicate that we are in its territory so we could have more sightings as the year progresses.
The Song Thrush is a little bit smaller than a Blackbird with a plain olive-brown back & head and very distinct spotted markings on its breast. The spots are often like little arrow-heads.
You really can’t miss it, but might mistake it for its larger cousin, the Mistle Thrush (locally called a Stormcock). This is about the same size, or a fraction bigger than a Blackbird with a lighter brown back and rounder spots compared to the Song Thrush
The Medlar Tree
10 April 2020
The first tree to come into leaf in the Green’s Community Orchard is the Medlar. There are two Medlars in the orchard and they start to green-up in March and are well covered by early April.
Medlars are a hardy tree probably brought to the UK by the Romans from Iran or south west Asia where it has been cultivated for over 3000 years. It was widely grown in medieval times because it provided fruit into the winter months. In modern times it lost much of its popularity as other fruits became available and now is little grown other than for its appearance.
The fruit is very sour and almost inedible until it has gone soft after being caught by frost or picked and left to mature naturally. When it gets to the edible stage it doesn’t look very attractive, but if tasted it resembles the constituency and flavour of apple sauce.
The Medlars in the orchard are an old cultivated variety called Nottingham which has an attractive white, cupped shaped flower in spring and produces great flavoured fruit.
Medlars are a hardy tree probably brought to the UK by the Romans from Iran or south west Asia where it has been cultivated for over 3000 years. It was widely grown in medieval times because it provided fruit into the winter months. In modern times it lost much of its popularity as other fruits became available and now is little grown other than for its appearance.
The fruit is very sour and almost inedible until it has gone soft after being caught by frost or picked and left to mature naturally. When it gets to the edible stage it doesn’t look very attractive, but if tasted it resembles the constituency and flavour of apple sauce.
The Medlars in the orchard are an old cultivated variety called Nottingham which has an attractive white, cupped shaped flower in spring and produces great flavoured fruit.
Coronavirus lockdown
25 March 2020
In line with the Government’s directive the Trust has suspended all volunteer working parties until further notice. During this period only one-person tasks will be undertaken by volunteers and trustees as part of their daily exercise outings. These tasks will be restricted to bird feeding, litter picking and essential maintenance to ensure health and safety.
The Millennium Green will remain open to all visitors as long as the Government allows parks to stay open. Please respect the provisions of the lockdown by only walking with members of your own household, not holding meetings of more than 2 people, and keeping at least 2 metres distance from fellow walkers.
The Trustees would appreciate your help in looking after the Green in these difficult times. If you are able to pick up litter, please do so and deposit it in the bins by the entrances to the Green on Welbeck Road.
Many thanks. Enjoy the Green and stay safe.
The Millennium Green will remain open to all visitors as long as the Government allows parks to stay open. Please respect the provisions of the lockdown by only walking with members of your own household, not holding meetings of more than 2 people, and keeping at least 2 metres distance from fellow walkers.
The Trustees would appreciate your help in looking after the Green in these difficult times. If you are able to pick up litter, please do so and deposit it in the bins by the entrances to the Green on Welbeck Road.
Many thanks. Enjoy the Green and stay safe.
March Working Party
25 March 2020
We held our monthly work party on Saturday 21st March attended by a small group of volunteers…… all keeping the regulation 2 metres away from each other. This wasn’t particularly difficult to do as most of the tasks we needed to do were one person jobs.
In addition to the regular cleaning & litter picking, one of the key jobs that we carry out at this time of year is mowing the Wildflower Meadow. We cut to a height of around 5-7 cm which checks the growth of more vigorous grasses giving the flowering plants a better start. This is particularly important in areas where the grass is very lush. We did this early in April last year, which might have been a little too late as the Ribwort Plantain was already starting to flower. We also mowed the path edges and around the trees in the orchard.
In addition to the regular cleaning & litter picking, one of the key jobs that we carry out at this time of year is mowing the Wildflower Meadow. We cut to a height of around 5-7 cm which checks the growth of more vigorous grasses giving the flowering plants a better start. This is particularly important in areas where the grass is very lush. We did this early in April last year, which might have been a little too late as the Ribwort Plantain was already starting to flower. We also mowed the path edges and around the trees in the orchard.
March Wildlife talk cancelled
19 March 2020
Coronavirus covid-19 strikes again! I'm afraid we've had to bow to the inevitable and postpone the upcoming wildlife talk on Nottinghamshire's Amphibians and Reptiles. The talk was due to be held at St. Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse on Wednesday 8 April 2020. We will arrange another date for this talk when we are sure it is safe to do so.
Repairs to store doors
19 March 2020
No, it isn’t an alien from outer space, or someone in a bio-hazard suit searching for COVID-19; it is actually a welder repairing the damage that the tool store doors received during the recent break-in shown in the photos below. He repaired the original pad-lock box and added two new boxes made from 10mm steel, plus some internal features that will make it harder for criminals to get access to the Green’s equipment.
It is probably impossible or unrealistic to make the building 100% burglar proof but this work will certainly make it more difficult for thieves to gain access.
It is probably impossible or unrealistic to make the building 100% burglar proof but this work will certainly make it more difficult for thieves to gain access.
Grassland Management & Development plan
9th March 2020
In May 2019 we posted a decision made by the Trustees not to pursue the idea of creating a pond on the Green to increase our range of habitat and biodiversity. One of the key reasons for this decision was the fact that the Green has great value simply as pasture and that nationally, the loss of unimproved species rich grassland is greater than any other habitat type.
The advice was that biodiversity would be better served by concentrating on managing the grassland that we had and trying to develop more of the same. This started a process which, after consulting Nic Wort, Greenwood’s Land Management Officer, resulted in us developing a Grassland Management & Development Plan. Essentially this will entail us keeping a check on encroaching nettles and brambles while at the same time maintaining the different habitats that make the Green a valuable resource for wildlife. This 5 Year Plan is very much a work in progress and we expect it will be revised and modified annually. The current version of the Plan can be downloaded using the link below.
The advice was that biodiversity would be better served by concentrating on managing the grassland that we had and trying to develop more of the same. This started a process which, after consulting Nic Wort, Greenwood’s Land Management Officer, resulted in us developing a Grassland Management & Development Plan. Essentially this will entail us keeping a check on encroaching nettles and brambles while at the same time maintaining the different habitats that make the Green a valuable resource for wildlife. This 5 Year Plan is very much a work in progress and we expect it will be revised and modified annually. The current version of the Plan can be downloaded using the link below.
maintenance_plan_2019_v04a_final__2_.docx | |
File Size: | 1151 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Wildlife Talk tickets now available
9th March 2020
Tickets are now available for our next Wildlife Talk which will be given by John Osborne on Nottinghamshire's Amphibians and Reptiles. The talk will be held at St. Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse on Wednesday 8 April 2020 commencing 7.00 p.m. As usual, the event will be free of charge although donations to help us cover the cost of staging the talk are always welcome. Tickets are available from Mansfield Woodhouse Library, The Stable Centre, Park Road Resource Centre or The St Edmund's Partner Shop. Alternatively, if you would like tickets to be reserved for collection on the evening, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or by phone on 07759 207550.
Refreshments will be served during the interval, and there will be a raffle with the top prize being a £25 The Restaurant gift card which can be used at several outlets.
Nearby on-street parking is available on Old Manor Road and Church Street. off-street parking at Turner Hall or Morrison's car park on Welbeck Road.
Refreshments will be served during the interval, and there will be a raffle with the top prize being a £25 The Restaurant gift card which can be used at several outlets.
Nearby on-street parking is available on Old Manor Road and Church Street. off-street parking at Turner Hall or Morrison's car park on Welbeck Road.
Tool store break in
24 February 2020
Sometime between the evening of Thursday 20th February and early on Friday 21st February thieves broke into our store and stole a petrol Webb WEBV 26 leaf blower and a Powercraft 3200 DV generator. They also did considerable damage to the pad-lock box on the door of the store. It is possible that they were disturbed because they dumped a wheelbarrow near the main gates and left a petrol mower out in the open near the store.
If anyone has any information about the theft, or hears of anyone wanting to sell these models of leaf blower or generator please get in touch with us. A £250 reward will be given to anyone providing information which leads to the successful prosecution of the culprits.
If anyone has any information about the theft, or hears of anyone wanting to sell these models of leaf blower or generator please get in touch with us. A £250 reward will be given to anyone providing information which leads to the successful prosecution of the culprits.
Next wildlife talk announced
13 February 2020
The trustees are pleased to announce that the next wildlife talk will be on Reptiles & Amphibians in Nottinghamshire and the speaker will be John Osbourne, Nottinghamshire's Amphibian & Reptile county recorder. The talk will take place at St. Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse, starting at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 8 April. As usual, the event will be free of charge although donations to help us cover the cost of staging the talk are always welcome. Light refreshments will be provided and there will be a raffle to raise funds - first prize a £25 The Restaurant gift card which can be used at several outlets. Details of where to pick up your free tickets for the event will be available nearer the time.
Storm Ciara
13 February 2020
Storm Ciara blew through the UK over last weekend with torrential rain & winds in excess of 100 mph. She certainly left her mark on the Millennium Green. Sometime over the weekend both sides of the Donkey Steps were blocked by an uprooted tree which was removed during Monday and Tuesday.
In fact it was two trees that blew down. They grew so closely together and were so totally covered in ivy that it was only when we started to cut them into manageable pieces that we realised that we were dealing with two different species of tree. One was certainly hawthorn - the bark and the effort it took to cut it was a bit of a clue and we think the other tree was a sycamore. The problem was that the ivy acted like a large sail and the extra wind resistance that this created was too much for the trees to withstand and down they went.
Although ivy is a very valuable plant for wildlife providing cover & food for a number of invertebrates, birds and mammals we are going to have to think carefully about reducing the ivy cover on some of our other trees, particularly those on the Donkey Steps boundary.
In fact it was two trees that blew down. They grew so closely together and were so totally covered in ivy that it was only when we started to cut them into manageable pieces that we realised that we were dealing with two different species of tree. One was certainly hawthorn - the bark and the effort it took to cut it was a bit of a clue and we think the other tree was a sycamore. The problem was that the ivy acted like a large sail and the extra wind resistance that this created was too much for the trees to withstand and down they went.
Although ivy is a very valuable plant for wildlife providing cover & food for a number of invertebrates, birds and mammals we are going to have to think carefully about reducing the ivy cover on some of our other trees, particularly those on the Donkey Steps boundary.
New Strimmer/Brushcutter Arrives
16 January 2020
After several months of problems with the Trust's main strimmer, it finally gave up the ghost in September and vibrated itself onto the scrap heap. It was classed as a “domestic” model and over the four years since it was purchased it has been increasingly used for more heavy duty work so it perhaps wasn’t surprising that it failed.
The timing of its demise did give us a problem as we were about to embark on a five year Grassland Development plan that had been written with the help of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Greenwood Community. Given that we have too few volunteers, a mechanical means of cutting back brambles, nettles & self-set shrubs is essential. Fortunately Nottinghamshire County Councillors Joyce Bosnjak and Parry Tsimbiridis came to the rescue with a generous donation which has enabled us to buy a more robust machine which is compatible with the jobs we need to do. If anyone is interested in the Grassland Development Plan or would like to get in involved, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. |
Goldfinch
8 January 2020
The colourful Goldfinch is a regular visitor to the feeding stations on the Green and with its distinctive red face and yellow wing flashes brightens up any grey winter day. Many species that need a similar habitat to the Goldfinch have declined over the past 50 years, some by as much as 90%. The Goldfinch has bucked that trend and has doubled its numbers over those five decades. This is most probably due to the increase in people feeding birds in their gardens.
It is quite a specialised feeder being one of the few birds that can access the seeds in thistle heads and teasels. It will however take insects particularly in the spring when feeding young. Except for the high mountains of Scotland, it is seen throughout the UK and usually over-winters here. Only in harsh winters will some birds migrate to the near continent with a few birds going as far south as Spain. The Goldfinch is probably our most attractive small bird and it’s not difficult to see why in the 19th century they were popular as a caged bird gracing many a Victorian parlour. Such was the demand that in 1860 some 132,000 birds were reputed to have been captured at Worthing, Sussex. Not surprisingly this demand caused a population crash which led to the Society for the Protection of Birds, formed in 1897, to campaign to halt the trade in wild birds. |
Fox on the Green
13 December 2019
This photo was taken one frosty Sunday morning early in December at about 09.30. The fox was ambling along the top path going towards the Donkey Steps.
We don’t think that we have a fox den actually on the Green, but we’re pretty sure there’s one in the cemetery and probably another on the far side of the Steps above the Severn Trent compound. Several years ago we did find a fox hole under an old abandoned muck spreader over by the cemetery wall. We monitored it for some time, but found no fox activity then, nor a number of years later when we monitored it again. At that time we were thinking of using the Green for a release site for hedgehogs. |
Season's greetings
5 December 2019
Future monthly work party dates
5 December 2015
Blackthorn - nature's barbed wire
30 November 2019
One of the jobs that we have to tackle during the autumn is cutting back the Blackthorn from areas where it is encroaching on areas of grass or footpaths. This is what some of our volunteers were doing during the November Working Party and as Blackthorn is a plant that suckers* vigorously there is always plenty to cut.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinose) is native to the UK and is usually found as a shrub, but can also be found occasionally as a tree up to 5 metre tall. It is related to the plum and, as the name implies, has black bark and long viciously sharp thorns. It was traditionally used in hedges where its dense tangled growth produces a very thick, almost impenetrable barrier. There is no wonder that it has been called “nature’s barbed wire”!
It’s fruit is small, round and dark purple turning black in the autumn and is called a “sloe” which is also another name used in some areas to identify the plant. These are often very sour, but that doesn’t seem to matter when they are used to make jam, or that favourite winter drink - sloe gin.
They are one of the earliest plants to flower, usually in March, bursting into a mass of small off-white flowers before coming into leaf. They are a real sign that the seasons are changing. There’s a really good clump of Blackthorn just inside the Green at the top of the Donkey Steps. Watch out for them.
*A “sucker” is a plant that doesn’t grow from a seed, but grows from the root of an established plant. The shoots usually appear some distance away from the parent plant.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinose) is native to the UK and is usually found as a shrub, but can also be found occasionally as a tree up to 5 metre tall. It is related to the plum and, as the name implies, has black bark and long viciously sharp thorns. It was traditionally used in hedges where its dense tangled growth produces a very thick, almost impenetrable barrier. There is no wonder that it has been called “nature’s barbed wire”!
It’s fruit is small, round and dark purple turning black in the autumn and is called a “sloe” which is also another name used in some areas to identify the plant. These are often very sour, but that doesn’t seem to matter when they are used to make jam, or that favourite winter drink - sloe gin.
They are one of the earliest plants to flower, usually in March, bursting into a mass of small off-white flowers before coming into leaf. They are a real sign that the seasons are changing. There’s a really good clump of Blackthorn just inside the Green at the top of the Donkey Steps. Watch out for them.
*A “sucker” is a plant that doesn’t grow from a seed, but grows from the root of an established plant. The shoots usually appear some distance away from the parent plant.
November's monthly work party
18 November 2019
Seven volunteers braved the damp weather last Saturday to attend the Green’s November work party. Apart from the usual litter pick, which produced almost two bin bags of rubbish, the main task was cutting back Blackthorn which was starting to crowd the top path near the seat. It’s a regular task in the winter.
Elsewhere, we started the low retaining wall near the main gate which will stop soil migrating down onto the vehicle access and make that corner of the Green easier to manage. When it is complete we are going to plant it up with native wild flowers such as Ivy Leaved Toad Flax and Biting Stonecrop. Also we are still trying to catch up with work that we usually do in September & October, but couldn’t do because of machinery problems. This includes a lot of strimming work - sorry about the noise!
Finally, we welcomed Daniel Redfern, the Green’s Mansfield District Council's ward councillor who came to look at what we were about and went away pleased with the work that we were doing. As usual, the morning ended with tea/coffee and of course cake & biscuits - most of it covered in chocolate and well worth getting a bit damp for!
Elsewhere, we started the low retaining wall near the main gate which will stop soil migrating down onto the vehicle access and make that corner of the Green easier to manage. When it is complete we are going to plant it up with native wild flowers such as Ivy Leaved Toad Flax and Biting Stonecrop. Also we are still trying to catch up with work that we usually do in September & October, but couldn’t do because of machinery problems. This includes a lot of strimming work - sorry about the noise!
Finally, we welcomed Daniel Redfern, the Green’s Mansfield District Council's ward councillor who came to look at what we were about and went away pleased with the work that we were doing. As usual, the morning ended with tea/coffee and of course cake & biscuits - most of it covered in chocolate and well worth getting a bit damp for!
Annual General Meeting reminder
10 November 2019
Just a reminder that our AGM is being held this Wednesday (13/11) at St Edmund's church at 7.00 pm. It's an opportunity to find out what's been happening on the Green over the last 12 months and to discuss plans for the future.
The meeting is open to anyone, so why not come and find out what's going on, and have a chat with the trustees?
The meeting is open to anyone, so why not come and find out what's going on, and have a chat with the trustees?
The Three Oaks
10 November 2019
It’s a year since many of us met on the Green to plant the three oak trees at the top of the slope. They were planted on the centenary of the end of the First World War and dedicated to the memory of all those who experienced the war to end all wars.
Many thanks to Jean Hobson, one of our volunteers, who has crocheted a poppy wreath for each of the trees to mark this year’s Armistice and to remind us why we planted them. |
Insect show
3 November 2019
The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Entomological Society are holding a free Insect Show on Saturday 9th November 2019 at Nottingham Trent University's Brackenhurst campus. For further details see the poster below.
Mansfield Woodhouse Christmas Event
31 October 2019
Once again the Trust will have a stall at the Mansfield Woodhouse Christmas event which will take place on Saturday 7th December in the Turner Memorial Hall, Church Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, NG19 8AH. We will be selling handicrafts, bric a brac and home made jams and marmalade. It will be an opportunity to have a chat to trustees and our hard working volunteers about the Green.
If you like to donate any unwanted gifts or nearly new items for us to sell on the stall, please get in touch via our Contact page. All proceeds from the sales will be used to help maintain the Green.
If you like to donate any unwanted gifts or nearly new items for us to sell on the stall, please get in touch via our Contact page. All proceeds from the sales will be used to help maintain the Green.
Yellow waxcap
31 October 2019
One good thing about the wet weather at this time of year (probably the only good thing) is that it brings forth all sorts of different mushrooms and fungi. This one was found near the top of the Green and has been identified by a county specialist as a Common Yellow Waxcap. It grows on unimproved grassland which is an increasingly rare habitat and one of the things that make the Green a special place. Unimproved grassland is land that hasn’t been managed, or improved by ploughing, reseeding or been subject to herbicides or artificial fertiliser.
This particular specimen is past its best, but the other photo shows a Golden Waxcap, a close relative, in its full glory.
This particular specimen is past its best, but the other photo shows a Golden Waxcap, a close relative, in its full glory.
Bird feeding project re-launch
23 October 2019
Our two year bird feeding project funded by the People's Post Code Lottery has now come to an end. The purpose of the project was to increase the total number of birds and species of birds visiting the Green. A small dedicated band of volunteers has helped us to achieve this goal. Gold finches are a case in point. Rarely seen on the Green at the start of the project, they are now regular visitors, enjoying the niger seed we put out for them. We would love to continue this project, but we will need more help to do so. You could join our rota of bird feeding volunteers who take it in turns to top up the feeders for a week - it will take just a couple of hours of your time every few weeks. Or you could help by donating bird food or feeders to help keep the project going. Please get in touch via our Contacts page if you'd like to help.
|
Colourful Creepy Crawly
22 October 2019
This colourful spider attached itself to one our volunteer’s jackets recently. It’s called a Four-spot Orb-weaver and is fairly common through-out the British Isles between June and October. Like many other invertebrates it lives in tall grasses which is why we leave some areas of the Green uncut. It also lives in hedges and shrubs. It weaves large webs to catch flies and other small insects.
Their colour can be extremely variable; they can be yellow-green, orange, red or brown. However, the four white spots on its abdomen, which give the spider its name, can usually be clearly seen. This one was probably a male, measuring around 8mm, the female can be almost twice this size. |
Wildflower meadow development
22 October 2019
During the October monthly work party last Saturday, a small group of Volunteers planted over 200 wildflower plants mainly in the meadow area. These plants had been grown from seed over last winter and nurtured through the summer in the Green’s wildflower nursery plot and included Red Campion, Lady’s Bedstraw, and Rough Hawkbit. All three species were part of the seed mix sowed when the Meadow was laid down back in 2016, but have failed to get established. During the last two summers we have seen some Red Campion, but only two or three Lady’s Bedstraw plants and no Rough Hawkbit.
There may be two reasons for this. In some areas of the meadow vigorous grasses are still dominant and could crowd out weaker wildflower species, or it may be that these three species just don’t like our soil or situation. Hopefully, putting established plants in the meadow will prove a point and shed some light on this issue. To help diminish the strong grasses, we spot sowed more Yellow Rattle seeds in areas where these grasses dominate. Yellow Rattle is a hemi-parasite which attaches onto grass roots and feeds through them, partly starving the grass and weakening it.
There may be two reasons for this. In some areas of the meadow vigorous grasses are still dominant and could crowd out weaker wildflower species, or it may be that these three species just don’t like our soil or situation. Hopefully, putting established plants in the meadow will prove a point and shed some light on this issue. To help diminish the strong grasses, we spot sowed more Yellow Rattle seeds in areas where these grasses dominate. Yellow Rattle is a hemi-parasite which attaches onto grass roots and feeds through them, partly starving the grass and weakening it.
Date of the Trust's Annual General Meeting
15 October 2019
The Trust's Annual General Meeting (AGM) in respect of the year ended 31st August 2019 will take place on Wednesday 13 November 2019 at 7.00 pm in St Edmund’s Church, Old Manor Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, NG19 9LX. The AGM is open to the public and is an opportunity to speak to the trustees, learn about the work that has been carried out on the Green over the past year, find out about the trustees' proposals for the future and put forward your own ideas and views.
The agenda for the AGM is shown below.
The agenda for the AGM is shown below.
Wild flower meadow mowed
30 September 2019
The job that announces that we’ve come to the end of summer and that autumn is around the corner is the mowing of the wildflower meadow. Some authorities say that you should mow a wildflower meadow around the middle of July, which might be fine on some soils, but not on all. In the Green’s meadow we have Wild Carrot and Devils-bit Scabious which are both late to flower. Cutting before these plants have had time to flower & set seed will eventually mow them out of the meadow, so we have been mowing at the end of August, beginning of September. It’s still a bit of a wrench to mow down flowering Wild Carrot, but you can’t have everything and as with many tasks on the Green, it is something of a compromise.
Last year we hired a Power Scythe, which worked reasonably well, but there was quite a cost involved and we had to collect and return it to a depot in Chesterfield. This year we used a brush cutter blade on each of our two strimmers. This worked better despite one of the strimmers developing a fault. It wasn’t really any easier physically, but it was a lot less expensive in terms of both money and time. In the end, we spent about 30 volunteer hours mowing & strimming, raking up and turning the cuttings to dry the hay and eventually carting them away. Hard work, but very satisfying!
Something else that we did differently this year was that Keith, the man who keeps a horse on the Green during the summer, took the hay for winter feed. Apparently his horses prefer our rougher hay to the finer, grass hay that is feed to other animals.
Last year we hired a Power Scythe, which worked reasonably well, but there was quite a cost involved and we had to collect and return it to a depot in Chesterfield. This year we used a brush cutter blade on each of our two strimmers. This worked better despite one of the strimmers developing a fault. It wasn’t really any easier physically, but it was a lot less expensive in terms of both money and time. In the end, we spent about 30 volunteer hours mowing & strimming, raking up and turning the cuttings to dry the hay and eventually carting them away. Hard work, but very satisfying!
Something else that we did differently this year was that Keith, the man who keeps a horse on the Green during the summer, took the hay for winter feed. Apparently his horses prefer our rougher hay to the finer, grass hay that is feed to other animals.
Wildlife talk tickets now available
11 September 2019
Tickets are now available for our next Wildlife Talk which will be given by Lorna Griffiths, Chair of the Nottinghamshire Dormouse Group on the Nottinghamshire Dormouse Project. The talk will be held at St. Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse on Wednesday 23 October 2019 commencing 7.00 p.m. As usual, the event will be free of charge although donations to help us cover the cost of staging the talk are always welcome. Tickets are available from Mansfield Woodhouse Library, The Stable Centre, Park Road Resource Centre or The St Edmund's Partner Shop. Alternatively, if you would like tickets to be reserved for collection on the evening, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or by phone 07759 207550. Refreshments will be served during the interval.
A map of nearby car parks and street parking is shown below.
A map of nearby car parks and street parking is shown below.
Community award for Bob Thacker
22 August 2019
It was a busy day on the Green last Saturday. During the morning, volunteers were busy clearing ragwort, mowing path edges and, frustratingly, carrying out the inevitable litter pick. Having worked up an appetite, volunteers then enjoyed a picnic lunch on the Green. The Trust holds a picnic each summer to thank volunteers and supporters for all their hard work during the year. During the picnic, trustee Bob Thacker was completely taken aback when Nottinghamshire County Councillors Parry Tsimbiridis and Joyce Bosnjak presented him with their award for services to the Mansfield Woodhouse community in recognition of all the hard work he has put into the Millennium Green. Well done Bob!
Volunteer event this Saturday
14th August 2019
There's a decent weather forecast for a change this coming Saturday (21/08) so why not come along and join us between 10.00 am and 12 noon and help maintain the Green. Tasks on the agenda are pulling up ragwort, litter picking, mowing, and pruning overhanging trees and hedges. Tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided, so all you need to do is turn up wearing some old clothes and a sturdy pair of shoes. You'll get a warm welcome.
The Painted Lady butterfly
9th August 2019
Although in some years they are quite scarce or even absent all together, every decade or so the UK has a colourful and very welcome invasion by millions of Painted Lady butterflies. This year is obviously one of those years of plenty!
In these good years they can be found everywhere in the UK apart from high mountainous areas. They’ve even been recorded as far north as Shetland & Orkney. There are regular sighting in Nottinghamshire, but this year, on 6th August 2019 we recorded the first one seen on the Green. The photographs were taken in a Woodhouse garden a few days earlier on 3rd August.
A strong & fast flyer, this beautiful insect migrates up from the edge of the Sahara in North Africa, the Middle East and even from Asia. It is not classed as a resident & will not over-winter here.
It does however breed in the UK, the female laying her eggs on a variety of plants including some nettles, mallow and thistles. It is believed that much of the population die out over the summer months, but if it survives the British weather it will attempt to return to warmer climates in the autumn. This constitutes one of the UK’s longest migratory events.
In these good years they can be found everywhere in the UK apart from high mountainous areas. They’ve even been recorded as far north as Shetland & Orkney. There are regular sighting in Nottinghamshire, but this year, on 6th August 2019 we recorded the first one seen on the Green. The photographs were taken in a Woodhouse garden a few days earlier on 3rd August.
A strong & fast flyer, this beautiful insect migrates up from the edge of the Sahara in North Africa, the Middle East and even from Asia. It is not classed as a resident & will not over-winter here.
It does however breed in the UK, the female laying her eggs on a variety of plants including some nettles, mallow and thistles. It is believed that much of the population die out over the summer months, but if it survives the British weather it will attempt to return to warmer climates in the autumn. This constitutes one of the UK’s longest migratory events.
Volunteer base & tool store
9th August 2019
After several months in construction and even longer planning and raising funds we are pleased to announce that the Green’s Volunteer Base & Tool Store is up, water-proof and finished. Or at least the shell is. What we’ve got to do now is install the green roof, fit out the interior and get the electrics sorted. Fortunately we have been successful in our bid for funding through Notts. County Council’s LIS Fund and this should cover us for this final part of the project.
We’re grateful to Mark Whetton and John Thorpe, the builders who have done a great job not only in the practical building work, but also in advising and finding materials at the best price. We should also thank Jewson on Oxford Street who have helped in sourcing materials at a discount and Litecast of Nuneaton who supplied the beams for the roof at a discount. Many thanks to all!
We’re grateful to Mark Whetton and John Thorpe, the builders who have done a great job not only in the practical building work, but also in advising and finding materials at the best price. We should also thank Jewson on Oxford Street who have helped in sourcing materials at a discount and Litecast of Nuneaton who supplied the beams for the roof at a discount. Many thanks to all!
Ruby Tiger Moth
5th August 2019
We found this small moth with the Punk hair-cut on the Wolves Carving when we were doing work in that area earlier in the year. It’s a Ruby Tiger moth and this is the first time we’ve recorded it on the Green.
Apparently it is quite common in Nottinghamshire and most of the UK, but getting rarer in the north. It has a wingspan of around 34mm and gets its name from the colour of its forewings which are deep, ruby red in southern variants, but a darker red in the north. In some light conditions the wings have a metallic tinge to them. |
It can be found almost anywhere but tends to favour open countryside, coastal areas, moorland and heath so it’s a bit of a mystery why it comes to be on the Millennium Green. One possible answer is that three of the Ruby Tiger caterpillar’s favourite food plants are abundant on the Green. Plantain is one such food source and we’ve had a plentiful crop of Ribwort Plantain in the meadow with Doc and Dandelion being in good supply elsewhere.
There’s every chance that it is breeding on the Green so we’ll keep a good look-out for Ruby Tigers next year.
There’s every chance that it is breeding on the Green so we’ll keep a good look-out for Ruby Tigers next year.
Next wildlife talk
16 July 2019
We're pleased to announce that our next wildlife talk will be given by Lorna Griffiths about the Nottinghamshire Dormouse Project. The talk will take place at St Edmund's church on the evening of Wednesday 23rd October.
Further details of the event and how to reserve a seat will be released nearer the time. As usual, the event will be free of charge and refreshments will be provided, although donations are always welcome to help cover the cost of staging the event. |
Volunteer event this Saturday
16 July 2019
Our next volunteer event is being held between 10.00 am and 12 noon this Saturday morning, 20th July. Tasks lined up include:
- Pulling up ragwort which is infesting the Green
- Trimming the hedge where it overhangs the pavement on Welbeck Road
- Mowing the paths around the Three Oaks memorial
- Checking the tree ties in the community orchard
- Tidying the Donkey Steps
- Litter pick
Cuckoo Spit Survey
18 June 2019
Cuckoo Spit, or Frog Spit as shown in the photograph on the stem of Ribwort Plantain is caused by the nymph of the Froghopper bug. These are also known, quite aptly as Spittle Bugs. This sap-sucking insect secretes and surrounds itself with the white frothy liquid in order to deter predators and also to stop it drying out.
Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterial disease of plants that is currently causing wide spread problems in southern Europe. It is known to be spread by sap-sucking insects like the Spittle Bug and although it is not a problem in the UK at the moment, it could be brought in on infected plant imports. There is currently a nation-wide survey that is collecting data to map the distribution of cuckoo spit so that the UK can be in a better position to respond to any outbreak of this disease. Any sightings of Cuckoo Spit can be reported on-line at: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/xylem-feeding-insects
Please note that Spittle Bugs are not a pest so please don’t kill or disturb them.
Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterial disease of plants that is currently causing wide spread problems in southern Europe. It is known to be spread by sap-sucking insects like the Spittle Bug and although it is not a problem in the UK at the moment, it could be brought in on infected plant imports. There is currently a nation-wide survey that is collecting data to map the distribution of cuckoo spit so that the UK can be in a better position to respond to any outbreak of this disease. Any sightings of Cuckoo Spit can be reported on-line at: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/xylem-feeding-insects
Please note that Spittle Bugs are not a pest so please don’t kill or disturb them.
Pop up plant stall a great success
18 June 2019
We were amazed by the success of this venture, despite it being thought up at the last minute. Plants were being sold before the stall was fully set up, and by 11 o'clock our stock of plants had been much depleted and was looking rather picked over. Despite this, we still made more sales up to mid-day when we decided to call it a day. Many thanks to all our supporters who publicised stall on social media and helped make it a huge success.
Pop up plant stall this Saturday
13 June 2019
We've just managed to get permission to set up a plant stall this Saturday morning outside Mansfield Woodhouse library on Church Street - post code NG19 8AH. We will be up and running by 9.30 am, so if you're looking for bedding plants or perennials but don't want to pay garden centre prices, come and take a look.
Party in the Park cancelled
13 June 2019
We've just heard that the "Party in the Park" event which was due to be held this Saturday on Yeoman's Hill Park has had to be cancelled as the ground is waterlogged. That's rather a blow for the Green. We've all been growing plants to sell on our stall at this event. Now need to find some other means of selling them off quickly while they're looking still looking their best. If anyone has any ideas how we can do this, please get in touch.
Wild flower meadow in full bloom
10 June 2019
The wild flower meadow on the Green is looking magnificent and is well worth a look. There has been an abundance of Buttercups, Yellow Rattle and various meadow grasses recently. Ox Eyed Daisies are now starting to come out. Look carefully and you'll see Lady's Bedstraw, Yarrow, St John's Wort and Wild Carrot among others.
Once flowering is over, we will cut the meadow and let the trimmings dry before turning the trimmings to spread the seed. This will ensure we get a good display of flowers next year. We're asking dog walkers to keep their dogs out of the wild flower meadow as we would like to use the hay as horse feed. Dog faeces are particularly noxious to horses. |
Controlling the spread of Himalayan Balsam
10 June 2016
For a number of years The Millennium Green have been partners of the Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group (Notts BAG for short). The group supports national priorities identified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and provide a focus for local action to protect important species and habitats.
Last year volunteers from the Green joined a team made up of people from other partner organisation working on a project to clear the River Maun of Himalayan Balsam. This invasive species quickly establishes itself along river |
banks, out-competing many native species. This causes a problem because the Balsam does not have the extensive root system of native plants which help bind soil together. During times of flood this can lead to erosion of the river bank. Although the seed was usually transported by rivers, downstream to colonise new areas, it is now found in adjoining damp woodland and other locations. Fortunately, Himalayan Balsam is an annual plant so if we can pull it up before it seeds we have a chance of stopping it spreading.
Notts BAG are organising two sessions in the coming weeks, one on 17th June and another on 1st July, both concentrating on the stretch of the River Maun that runs from New Mill Lane downstream towards Clipstone and Spa Ponds. The sessions run from 6pm to 8pm.
If you would like to come and get involved please get in touch and we’ll let you have details of where we’ll be meeting up. Hope you can help.
Notts BAG are organising two sessions in the coming weeks, one on 17th June and another on 1st July, both concentrating on the stretch of the River Maun that runs from New Mill Lane downstream towards Clipstone and Spa Ponds. The sessions run from 6pm to 8pm.
If you would like to come and get involved please get in touch and we’ll let you have details of where we’ll be meeting up. Hope you can help.
School visits
10 June 2019
A week ago, we welcomed two classes from St Edmund's school onto the Green. Fortunately the weather was kind for the event. Maddy Holroyd of Elementree Forest Schools taught the youngsters about wild animals in the UK and where they live. There were plenty of hands-on activities, which included making bird boxes, bug hotels which were hung from trees and bushes around the Green, and nests and dens for the various toy animals which Maddy had brought with her. A good time was had by all. The event was organised and sponsored by the Greenwood Community Forest.
Mansfield Building Society volunteers paint main gates
24 May 2019
Last Tuesday, we were delighted to welcome onto the Green a team of three volunteers from the Mansfield Building Society who had come along to help us paint the main gates as part of the Society's Work in the Community initiative. The weather was perfect for this project, with plenty of sunshine but not too hot with a refreshing breeze. Diane, Pippa & Wieslawa warmed to the task, even the grotty preparatory work of sanding down the old paintwork and removing loose rust, as it made a welcome change from counting cash! The team worked so hard that we were able to apply two coats of paint to the gates and also paint two of the benches on the Green. This was a big job and would have taken our volunteers a good few weeks to complete carried out in our normal work parties. The Green now looks much smarter, and the pressure is now on our own volunteers to paint the remaining four benches this summer.
The trustees are most grateful to the Mansfield Building Society for the support it has given the Green, not only with this project, but also with the financial contribution it has made towards the cost of the tool store which is currently under construction on the Green.
The trustees are most grateful to the Mansfield Building Society for the support it has given the Green, not only with this project, but also with the financial contribution it has made towards the cost of the tool store which is currently under construction on the Green.
Sponsor a bee brick
13 May 2019
The trustees would like to incorporate four "bee bricks" into the tool store/volunteer base which is currently being built. These bricks provide a nesting site for solitary bees. Solitary bees, such as Red Mason and Leaf Cutter bees, have no queen or honey to protect, meaning they are non-aggressive and won’t sting.
These bee bricks cost £27.50 each. If you would like to sponsor one, please get in touch. For details on how to do this, go to our Contact page. |
A pond on the Green?
9 May 2019
There was a suggestion made at our last AGM to build a pond on the Green. This it was felt would provide a different habitat and be an advantage to existing wildlife. Although there was some concern expressed about safety issues rising from having standing water on site and the risk to young children, the Trustees decided to look into the idea.
Our usual advisers, Greenwood Community Forest were contacted along with Notts. Biodiversity Action Group as both organisations were familiar with the Green. Their response was remarkably similar - both thought that a pond was neither desirable nor feasible.
Regarding the feasibility the view was:
Even if it had been realistic to develop a pond there appears to be good reason not to. This was summed up in the comment:
“……..… the Millennium Green has developed as a grassland site for a reason and I would suggest that as a local group your role is to try to improve it (which is certainly something that you have started to do in a very proactive and successful way) and to promote the value of grassland habitat to members of your local community. Remember the loss of species rich grassland as a resource has been much greater than the loss of any other habitat type……”
Based on the unequivocal advice that a pond would not be sustainable, the trustees have decided not proceed with the idea.
Our usual advisers, Greenwood Community Forest were contacted along with Notts. Biodiversity Action Group as both organisations were familiar with the Green. Their response was remarkably similar - both thought that a pond was neither desirable nor feasible.
Regarding the feasibility the view was:
- The underlying geology is porous/permeable which is why there isn’t any natural standing or running water on site. Creating a pond would require the use of a liner.
- Pond liners can be damaged even with careful maintenance and often suffer deliberate damage by vandalism on public sites.
- Puddling with clay is an option, but is very expensive.
- Irrespective of how we build a pond, without the ability to replenish water levels they will naturally dry out in hot periods becoming a potential eye-sore and of less benefit to wildlife.
Even if it had been realistic to develop a pond there appears to be good reason not to. This was summed up in the comment:
“……..… the Millennium Green has developed as a grassland site for a reason and I would suggest that as a local group your role is to try to improve it (which is certainly something that you have started to do in a very proactive and successful way) and to promote the value of grassland habitat to members of your local community. Remember the loss of species rich grassland as a resource has been much greater than the loss of any other habitat type……”
Based on the unequivocal advice that a pond would not be sustainable, the trustees have decided not proceed with the idea.
Building work on tool store underway
7 May 2019
Work started today digging out the base of our new tool store and volunteer base. Building is expected to take around 4 weeks. The idea was first mooted back in 2017, and it has taken all this time to raise the finance and agree plans. The bulk of the funding has been generously provided by the Big Lottery Fund and Mansfield Building Society.
To minimise the visual impact, there will be a sedum roof and earth bunds will run along the length of the building with shrubs planted on top. |
Currently, machinery and tools are stored across a number of sites, in volunteers' homes, garages and gardens. Before and after each work party, equipment must be gathered up and transported to and from the Green. The new store will increase the efficiency of volunteers as well as providing shelter from the weather for briefing volunteers.
Mansfield Woodhouse Summer Event
30 April 2019
As usual the Millennium Green will have a stall at the Mansfield Woodhouse Summer Event 2019 which will take place on Saturday 15th June between 12 noon and 4.00 p.m. in Yeoman Hill Park. We will be selling a selection of bedding plants & perennials, plus home made jam & marmalade. For entertainment, we will have a couple of games including a Treasure Island competition. If you can guess where the treasure is hidden, there's a prize to be won.
Trustees will be on hand and look forward to seeing you there and hearing what you have to say about the Green.
Trustees will be on hand and look forward to seeing you there and hearing what you have to say about the Green.
Volunteer event this Saturday
18 April 2019
Our next volunteer event is being held between 10.00 am and 12 noon this Saturday morning, 20th April. Tasks lined up include:
- Applying preservative to the howling wolf sculpture
- Mowing path edges
- Litter pick
- Cleaning information boards
- Breaking up stone blocks for a retaining wall
- Raking up grass in Area 12
This Saturday's volunteer event cancelled
15 March 2019
We've decided to call off tomorrow's volunteer event (16/03/20109) because of the forecast for persistent heavy rain throughout the day. Hopefully the weather for our next monthly volunteering event to be held on Saturday 20th April will be much improved.
Illustrated talk - green & open spaces around Mansfield Woodhouse
12 March 2019
This talk, put on by the Mansfield Woodhouse Heritage Link, takes place in the library on the morning of Friday 29th March 2019. It features the Millennium Green and much much more. Booking is essential. For further details see below.
Volunteer event this Saturday
12 March 2019
The next volunteer event will be held between 10.00 am and 12 noon this Saturday morning, 16th March. Tasks lined up include:
- Planting whips in the new thicket
- Clearing the site of our new tool store/volunteer base
- Litter pick
Tickets now available for our next Wildlife Talk
25 February 2019
Tickets are now available for our next Wildlife Talk which will be given by Andy Lowe of Notts. Wildlife Trust on the work being undertaken by the Trust. The talk will be held at St. Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse on Wednesday 3rd April 2019 commencing 7.00 p.m. As usual, the event will be free of charge although donations to help us maintain the Green are always welcome. Tickets are available from Mansfield Woodhouse Library, The Stable Centre, Park Road Resource Centre or The Partner Shop. Alternatively, if you would like tickets to be reserved for collection on the evening, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or by phone 07703 344 471. Refreshments will be served in the interval.
Has Spring sprung?
19 February 2019
Our February monthly volunteer event last Saturday was such a lovely sunny day that we might be inclined to think that Spring is just around the corner. Along the Welbeck Road hedge, Hawthorn leaves are starting to show and the Snowdrops have been out for quite a few days. We even saw our first butterfly of 2019. It was an over-wintering Small Tortoiseshell that was just too quick for a photograph.
However, we might just be a little premature because at the end of February 2018 we had four good sledging days on the Green and in the middle of March last year we were planting hedging plants in a snow-storm!
However, we might just be a little premature because at the end of February 2018 we had four good sledging days on the Green and in the middle of March last year we were planting hedging plants in a snow-storm!
Volunteer event this Saturday
14 February 2019
The next volunteer event will be held between 10.00 am and 12 noon this Saturday morning, 16th February. Tasks lined up include:
- Pruning the hedge on the Welbeck Road boundary
- Litter pick
Next Wildlife Talk
12 February 2019
We are pleased to announce that our next Wildlife Talk will be given by Andy Lowe of Notts. Wildlife Trust on the work undertaken by the Trust. The talk will be held at St. Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse on Wednesday 3rd April 2019 commencing 7.00 p.m. As usual, the event is free although donations to help us maintain the Green are always welcome. Refreshments will be served in the interval and there will be a raffle.
Minutes of our Annual General Meeting
12 February 2019
The Trust's annual general meeting was held on Wednesday 30th January 2019. Minutes of that meeting, including a review of what we've been up to on the Green over the last year or so and what we plan to do in the forthcoming year, can be downloaded or viewed below.
A mystery
8 February 2019
The Green isn’t known for philosophical statements, but it appears that someone is using the Green as a venue for just that purpose. At some time on Tuesday a message appeared, carefully attached with cable ties to the railings at the top of the Donkey Steps. Painted on a series of wooden boards the message said: “There is enough bread for everyone. There is enough space for everyone. There is enough work for everyone. There is enough for everyone.”
Was it left by someone who is protesting at the increasingly widespread use of food banks, or perhaps a homeless person who needs a space to call home? It could be someone who wants an opportunity to work and a more equal share of this worlds goods. Perhaps we’ll never know. One thing is for sure it doesn’t look like a piece of graffiti or vandalism. It has obviously been well thought out and put up to make us think. |
Work on Welbeck Road Boundary
4th February 2019
One of the trees that was highlighted in the Tree Survey as needing attention was the ash tree near the Kissing Gate. It had a couple of branches that over-hung the road, which we removed without too much trouble. It also drew the attention of a couple of the tree surgeons who put in bids for other work on the Welbeck Road boundary. The ash tree has not looked particularly healthy for a few years now, it never seems to have a good covering of leaves.
Both tree surgeons commented on the fact that it looked as though it was under stress and was probably being robbed of water and nutrients by the ivy that covered the ground |
around it. They suggested that we tried cutting the ivy back from around the base of the tree in an attempt to let rain water penetrate the soil and clear the ivy from the trunk to reduce the amount of competition for water and food.
We also noticed that the hedge replanted last year down towards the Donkey Steps was not doing as well as anticipated and that was probably due to a lot of ivy being in evidence growing on and around the new hedging plants. We therefore decided that we should reduce the ivy from along the whole length of the hedge line to give the hedging plants and trees a chance to flourish. We know that the ivy will grow back, but at least there will be less competition for water and nutrients over the short term.
We also noticed that the hedge replanted last year down towards the Donkey Steps was not doing as well as anticipated and that was probably due to a lot of ivy being in evidence growing on and around the new hedging plants. We therefore decided that we should reduce the ivy from along the whole length of the hedge line to give the hedging plants and trees a chance to flourish. We know that the ivy will grow back, but at least there will be less competition for water and nutrients over the short term.
Report on the Three Oaks Commemoration project
31 January 2019
The trustees' report to the donors and sponsors of the Three Oaks planting ceremony held on 10 November 2018 to mark the centenary of the ending of the First World war can be uploaded below.
Tree work completed
31 January 2019
Following the tree survey in 2018 the trustees thought that some of the more straight forward tree work that had been identified was suitable to be tackled by volunteers. This work was essentially crown lifting some of the trees that overhung paths and the Donkey Steps and taking out dead branches or those that were likely to be in danger of breaking off. Much of this work was preventative, because if a branch did break off it was likely to do more damage to the tree than if it was carefully cut off.
During the last few months of 2018 and January 2019 we have been doing this work to help keep the trees on the Green healthy and safe. Using only hand saws it was a long job and quite tiring at times. By the time we had finished we all appreciated what a great piece of kit a chainsaw is. Pity we didn’t have one!
During the last few months of 2018 and January 2019 we have been doing this work to help keep the trees on the Green healthy and safe. Using only hand saws it was a long job and quite tiring at times. By the time we had finished we all appreciated what a great piece of kit a chainsaw is. Pity we didn’t have one!
Butterfly count 2018
25 January 2019
The bleak days of winter are a perfect time to look back at what we’ve had in the way of Butterflies on the Green (writes Bob Thacker). This year I’ve given the date of the earliest sightings.
We saw 18 different species through the year, exactly the same as in 2017. We only saw one Small Heath butterfly this year, which is perhaps not surprising as the nearest known breeding colony is over near Rainworth.
20-02-2018 Red Admiral
21-02-2018 Peacock
21-02-2018 Small White
21-02-2018 Small Tortoiseshell
21-02-2018 Speckled Wood
21-02-2018 Orange Tip
19-04-2018 Brimstone
01-05-2018 Large White
08-05-2018 Holly Blue
26-06-2018 Ringlet
03-07-2018 Small Skipper
09-07-2018 Meadow Brown
09-07-2018 Green-veined White
17-07-2018 Comma
17-07-2018 Small Heath
21-07-2018 Common Blue
24-07-2018 Gatekeeper
07-08-2018 Small Copper
The Red Admiral spotted towards the end of February was early, but not the earliest sighted in Nottinghamshire. It was certainly the earliest I’ve seen on the Green. It would have been one of last year’s brood, born in the UK and overwintering.
We saw 18 different species through the year, exactly the same as in 2017. We only saw one Small Heath butterfly this year, which is perhaps not surprising as the nearest known breeding colony is over near Rainworth.
20-02-2018 Red Admiral
21-02-2018 Peacock
21-02-2018 Small White
21-02-2018 Small Tortoiseshell
21-02-2018 Speckled Wood
21-02-2018 Orange Tip
19-04-2018 Brimstone
01-05-2018 Large White
08-05-2018 Holly Blue
26-06-2018 Ringlet
03-07-2018 Small Skipper
09-07-2018 Meadow Brown
09-07-2018 Green-veined White
17-07-2018 Comma
17-07-2018 Small Heath
21-07-2018 Common Blue
24-07-2018 Gatekeeper
07-08-2018 Small Copper
The Red Admiral spotted towards the end of February was early, but not the earliest sighted in Nottinghamshire. It was certainly the earliest I’ve seen on the Green. It would have been one of last year’s brood, born in the UK and overwintering.
Annual General Meeting
20 December 2018
The Trust's Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday 30th January 2019 at the Turner Community Hall, Church Street, Mansfield Woodhouse NG19 8AH starting at 7.00 pm. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be available.
Christmas Event - Saturday 8 December in Turner Hall
3 December 2018
Just a reminder that the Trust has booked a stall at this event and we will be selling Christmas decorations, bric-a-brac, jams and pickles. In addition we will have a Guess the Weight of the Cake competition. It's another opportunity to talk to the trustees of the Green to find out more about what we do and let us know what you think about the Green. Doors open to the public at 11.00 am. Hope to see you there.
Tree work
3 December 2018
Earlier in the year, the trustees commissioned a professional independent health check of all the trees on the Green. Most of the recommendations involved cutting away branches which were starting to impede lorries and pedestrians using Welbeck Road. Having gained planning consent to carry out the work from Mansfield District Council (required as the Green is in a conservation area) this work was carried out by a professional firm of tree surgeons last Friday without disrupting access to the Green. The biggest job though was coppicing the Goat Willow near the cemetery entrance to the Green.
Tool store funding now in place!
29 November 2018
A very welcome donation of £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund has completed the necessary funding for a much needed tool store on the Green. The cheque was presented early last Tuesday morning in freezing conditions, but it was well worth the discomfort. Once built, tools will be on hand when we need them rather than stored off site in volunteers' garages, constantly needing to be lifted in and out of cars to get them on the Green.
So a very big thank you to players of the National Lottery for their generous support and also to the Mansfield Building Society and local councillors for their contributions to the cause. We're hopeful that construction will commence late spring or early summer. |
Three Oaks planting ceremony
13 November 2018
We were blessed with a glorious sunny morning for the planting ceremony on the Green on Saturday 10 November 2018. The Mansfield District Corps of Drums led by Paul Clark put on a magnificent performance entertaining guests as they gathered by the main gate.
At 10.30 the Seaforth Highlanders Pipes and Drums led by Bob Orridge with an atmospheric and spine-tingling performance piped a procession up the hill to the planting site at the top of the Green. The procession was led by the RAF Air Cadets 384 (Mansfield) Squadron carrying one of the three 15 feet high oak trees as they went. To an audience of more than a hundred the celebrant, Andrea Garlick, explained the devastating effect the First World War, which ended 100 years ago that weekend, had had on the nation, the community of Mansfield Woodhouse and some of its individual residents. She also set out the huge social and political changes that the war brought about, and which still affect how we live our lives today.
The three oak trees were then ceremonially planted by Sir Alan Meale, our patron, Margaret Davy a senior citizen, and young Dylan Coupe, a pupil from St Edmund's School. Dylan had won a school competition for creative writing, and confidently read out his winning poem on warfare once his tree had been planted.
A period of reflection followed while a lone piper from the Seaforth Highlanders played "Flowers of the Forest". We all then made our way to the main gates where refreshments were provided by some of the Green's hard working volunteers. Dripping sandwiches and trench cake were put on to provide an insight into our forbears' diet 100 years ago.
Throughout the ceremony, the benches on the Green had silhouettes of people in clear perspex sitting on them representing people killed during the war. Evocatively titled "There but not There", these silhouettes were kindly provided by the Armed Forces Covenant Trust.
The Trustees wish to thank everyone who has contributed financially or provided support or given practical help to enable the Millennium Green Trust to organise this event.
For more photos click here.
Donations were received from:
Irene Bacon & Family
Rachel Barradas
Les & Joan Hobson
Garry & Carol Marsh
Mr & Mrs D Norman
Councillor Ann Norman
Lucy Presdee
Amy Smissen
Mrs Stephenson
Jill Usher
Ann Walter
Armed Forces Covenant Trust
Friends of Yeoman Hill Park
Nottinghamshire County Council
Yorkshire Building Society
Support & practical help was given by:
Andrea Garlick, Celebrant
Greenwood Community Forest
Mansfield District Council, Parks Dept
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc
MRSL Training & Rescue - click here for more information
Old Mansfield Woodhouse Society
Park Hall Financial Services
Park Road Resource Centre
RAF Air Cadets, 384 (Mansfield) Squadron
Seaforth Highlanders Association, Pipes & Drums
St Edmunds Primary School
&
The Millennium Green Volunteers
Thank you!
At 10.30 the Seaforth Highlanders Pipes and Drums led by Bob Orridge with an atmospheric and spine-tingling performance piped a procession up the hill to the planting site at the top of the Green. The procession was led by the RAF Air Cadets 384 (Mansfield) Squadron carrying one of the three 15 feet high oak trees as they went. To an audience of more than a hundred the celebrant, Andrea Garlick, explained the devastating effect the First World War, which ended 100 years ago that weekend, had had on the nation, the community of Mansfield Woodhouse and some of its individual residents. She also set out the huge social and political changes that the war brought about, and which still affect how we live our lives today.
The three oak trees were then ceremonially planted by Sir Alan Meale, our patron, Margaret Davy a senior citizen, and young Dylan Coupe, a pupil from St Edmund's School. Dylan had won a school competition for creative writing, and confidently read out his winning poem on warfare once his tree had been planted.
A period of reflection followed while a lone piper from the Seaforth Highlanders played "Flowers of the Forest". We all then made our way to the main gates where refreshments were provided by some of the Green's hard working volunteers. Dripping sandwiches and trench cake were put on to provide an insight into our forbears' diet 100 years ago.
Throughout the ceremony, the benches on the Green had silhouettes of people in clear perspex sitting on them representing people killed during the war. Evocatively titled "There but not There", these silhouettes were kindly provided by the Armed Forces Covenant Trust.
The Trustees wish to thank everyone who has contributed financially or provided support or given practical help to enable the Millennium Green Trust to organise this event.
For more photos click here.
Donations were received from:
Irene Bacon & Family
Rachel Barradas
Les & Joan Hobson
Garry & Carol Marsh
Mr & Mrs D Norman
Councillor Ann Norman
Lucy Presdee
Amy Smissen
Mrs Stephenson
Jill Usher
Ann Walter
Armed Forces Covenant Trust
Friends of Yeoman Hill Park
Nottinghamshire County Council
Yorkshire Building Society
Support & practical help was given by:
Andrea Garlick, Celebrant
Greenwood Community Forest
Mansfield District Council, Parks Dept
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc
MRSL Training & Rescue - click here for more information
Old Mansfield Woodhouse Society
Park Hall Financial Services
Park Road Resource Centre
RAF Air Cadets, 384 (Mansfield) Squadron
Seaforth Highlanders Association, Pipes & Drums
St Edmunds Primary School
&
The Millennium Green Volunteers
Thank you!
Drop-in event
2 November 2018
The trustees will be holding a drop-in event at the Community Market, Turner Hall, Mansfield Woodhouse on Saturday 24th November. Everyone's welcome, so come and talk to a trustee, share your thoughts about the Green, tell us what you like, suggest what we could do differently or ask about helping out on the Green. We'd love to hear what you think.
Children on the Green
31 October 2018
A beautiful bright Wednesday morning dawned with 70 children support staff, teachers & parents arriving on the Green to look for signs of Autumn. Splitting into groups they enjoyed building homes for pet toys, looking for signs of Autumn, collecting leaves & sticks to take back to school. The children also made small bird feeders which they hung onto the hedge adjacent to the steps. A jolly good time was had by all judging from the enthusiasm with which they undertook all of their activities. There was lots of laughter & chatter as they went into various areas on the Green. We always look forward to school & nursery visits as we hope it is something they will remember & carry with them through school.
Mansfield Building Society Cheque Presentation
23 October 2018
On 16 October we welcomed two special guests to the Green when the Trust received a cheque for £1000.00. Carol & Meg, two branch managers from the Mansfield Building Society, presented the cheque to Trust Chair, Ann Walter watched by some of our volunteers. The grant came from the Society’s Community Support Scheme and is destined to help build the Volunteer Base & Tool Store. The Scheme was “launched in early 2008 and is designed to help a wide range of groups that do their bit to help local people” and we are proud to have been chosen and very grateful for the help… Many Thanks to Mansfield Building Society!
Mulberry tree magic
11 October 2018
Shortly after we planted the last trees in the Community Orchard in 2016 we noticed that one was seriously bent, It was a pot grown Mulberry Tree and had arrived in great condition, staked to a 1.5m cane. As it was quite an expensive purchase we decided to try to get it upright. We spent a lot of time and tried a number of strategies to achieve this, but nothing seemed to work and so in the end we left it to its own devices and resigned ourselves to having a very wonky tree!
We were given a number of reasons why this had happened, the most credible being that a growing tree relies on movement by the wind to help build up sufficiently strong woody material in the stem. A young tree that is secured for too long and prevented from being allowed to move in a natural way will not lay down enough of the wood organic polymer lignin alongside cellulose within the cambium layer to provide that strength. The result is that when the support is removed the tree is likely to droop. The clue was in the fact that the tree came tied to a cane as long as its stem, and had probably been staked like this all its life.
Fast forward 23 months and nature seems to have worked a minor miracle - our one-time Wonky Mulberry is now almost vertical and looking very attractive in its autumn colours.
We were given a number of reasons why this had happened, the most credible being that a growing tree relies on movement by the wind to help build up sufficiently strong woody material in the stem. A young tree that is secured for too long and prevented from being allowed to move in a natural way will not lay down enough of the wood organic polymer lignin alongside cellulose within the cambium layer to provide that strength. The result is that when the support is removed the tree is likely to droop. The clue was in the fact that the tree came tied to a cane as long as its stem, and had probably been staked like this all its life.
Fast forward 23 months and nature seems to have worked a minor miracle - our one-time Wonky Mulberry is now almost vertical and looking very attractive in its autumn colours.
Trust Past Secretary gets Greenwood Award
8 October 2018
The 15th Annual Greenwood Community Awards took place on Thursday 4th October 2018 at John Fretwell Centre, Sookholme, and half of the main awards were presented to Mansfield’s army of environmental volunteers including the Green’s past Secretary, Sheila McFarlane.
After a barbecue, one hundred and forty five guests enjoyed a review of achievements of volunteers and organisations during 2017 presented by Margret Vince, Chair of the Friends of Greenwood Community Forum followed by the awards ceremony. County Councillor Phil Rostance presented fourteen awards to community groups and individual volunteers, for outstanding contribution towards improving the environment.
Sheila was awarded the Senior Volunteer Award for her work between 2012 & 2017 for tirelessly negotiating the minefield of reinstating the Green’s status as a Trust and starting the process of regenerating the Green. It is widely recognised that without Sheila’s intervention in 2012 the Green and the Trust would probably not exist today.
Sheila retired from her secretarial duties in 2017, but still helps as a volunteer, fulfilling the vital role of Catering Manager and provider of cakes and buns.
Congratulations Sheila - you’ve deserved it!
After a barbecue, one hundred and forty five guests enjoyed a review of achievements of volunteers and organisations during 2017 presented by Margret Vince, Chair of the Friends of Greenwood Community Forum followed by the awards ceremony. County Councillor Phil Rostance presented fourteen awards to community groups and individual volunteers, for outstanding contribution towards improving the environment.
Sheila was awarded the Senior Volunteer Award for her work between 2012 & 2017 for tirelessly negotiating the minefield of reinstating the Green’s status as a Trust and starting the process of regenerating the Green. It is widely recognised that without Sheila’s intervention in 2012 the Green and the Trust would probably not exist today.
Sheila retired from her secretarial duties in 2017, but still helps as a volunteer, fulfilling the vital role of Catering Manager and provider of cakes and buns.
Congratulations Sheila - you’ve deserved it!
Good turnout for work party
24 September 2018
Our monthly Saturday morning work party was blessed with good weather and a good attendance with 12 volunteers turning out to help. A variety of tasks were accomplished, including cleaning out the Green's information board, raking up cut grass from wild flower areas and clearing scrub which was encroaching on paths. When the hard work was done, it was time for a chat over a cuppa and biscuits. Many thanks to all our helpers.
September monthly work party
11 September 2018
The next monthly work party will be held between 10.00 am and 12 noon this Saturday morning, 15th September. Tasks lined up include:
- Cleaning out the hedgehog boxes
- Painting
- Mowing path edges
- Strimming and raking
- Litter pick
Next wildlife talk - dragonflies & damselflies
30 August 2018
We are pleased to announce that our next wildlife talk will be held on 24th October 2018. This is the third one we have organised, and we are lucky to have booked David Goddard to deliver a talk about Dragonflies and Damselflies.
David is recognised as being an expert on the subject and is librarian of the British Dragonfly Society and County Recorder for the species for both Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
The talk will be held at St. Edmund's church Old Manor Road, Mansfield Woodhouse NG19 9LX starting at 7.00 pm. If you would like to reserve tickets, please contact the Trust. Tickets can also be picked up from three locations in the village - see the poster on our What's On page for further details. As in the past, tickets are free although donations towards the upkeep of the Green are always welcome.
If you are unfamiliar with the location, we will be happy to send you a sketch map showing where the church is situated
and where good on and off-street parking can be found.
David is recognised as being an expert on the subject and is librarian of the British Dragonfly Society and County Recorder for the species for both Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
The talk will be held at St. Edmund's church Old Manor Road, Mansfield Woodhouse NG19 9LX starting at 7.00 pm. If you would like to reserve tickets, please contact the Trust. Tickets can also be picked up from three locations in the village - see the poster on our What's On page for further details. As in the past, tickets are free although donations towards the upkeep of the Green are always welcome.
If you are unfamiliar with the location, we will be happy to send you a sketch map showing where the church is situated
and where good on and off-street parking can be found.
Update regarding trees on the Green
29 August 2018
Earlier in the year, the trustees undertook a professional independent survey of the trees on the Green to ensure they were safe and healthy. The surveyor was formerly an arboreal officer working for Nottinghamshire County Council. His report recommended work on a number of trees, the most notable being crown lowering and raising work on our iconic horse chestnut tree. Unpalatable as this news was, the trustees could not ignore this report and so applied to Mansfield District Council for planning consent to carry out the recommended tree work.
Mansfield District Council's arboreal officer disagreed with much of the surveyor's report and only sanctioned work on overhanging trees along Welbeck Road and the coppicing of a willow tree on the border with the old cemetery. Regarding the horse chestnut, the arboreal officer considered there was an acceptable level of risk - approximately "one in 40 billion of a death".
Such conflicting advice from two professionals put the trustees in an invidious position. After careful consideration with much discussion and soul searching, we have decided not to lodge an appeal against the planning consent refusal and hope Mansfield District Council's assessment of the risks on the Green from trees is correct.
The trustees are currently assessing what element of the permitted work they can carry out themselves, with the remainder of the work being put out to tender with tree surgeons.
Mansfield District Council's arboreal officer disagreed with much of the surveyor's report and only sanctioned work on overhanging trees along Welbeck Road and the coppicing of a willow tree on the border with the old cemetery. Regarding the horse chestnut, the arboreal officer considered there was an acceptable level of risk - approximately "one in 40 billion of a death".
Such conflicting advice from two professionals put the trustees in an invidious position. After careful consideration with much discussion and soul searching, we have decided not to lodge an appeal against the planning consent refusal and hope Mansfield District Council's assessment of the risks on the Green from trees is correct.
The trustees are currently assessing what element of the permitted work they can carry out themselves, with the remainder of the work being put out to tender with tree surgeons.
Wild flower meadow maintenance
29 August 2018
The weekly work party on the morning of Tuesday 21st August set about winnowing the trimmings from cutting the wild flower meadow on the previous Saturday. Winnowing involves shaking the trimmings to allow seeds from the wild flowers to drop out to the ground, hopefully ensuring an even better display of wild flowers next summer.
An additional work party was held on Friday 24th August to clear the trimmings from the wild flower meadow. Wild flowers thrive in poor under-nourished soil, so it was important to remove the trimmings before they began to rot down and add nutrients to the soil. A lot of hard work goes into maintaining a wild flower meadow! |
Tasks successfully completed during Green closure
29 August 2018
Tuesday 21st August proved to be an ideal day for completing the maintenance tasks we had scheduled while the Green was closed during the morning.
There was hardly any breeze so the spraying off of weeds encroaching on the paths went ahead as planned. The weedkiller will take 3 weeks to fully take effect, but already in some areas the grass and weeds are starting to turn yellow. The weather was also idea for painting, so we were able to paint the A frames at the access points near the old cemetery and at the top of the donkey steps. By lunchtime, bang on schedule, the paint had dried and the Green was re-opened to the public. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. We only close the Green once a year for a morning. Thanks for bearing with us. |
Temporary closure of the Green, Tuesday 21 August
20 August 2018
We have booked a contractor to spray the grass and weeds encroaching on path edges for tomorrow morning. However, spraying will only take place if the weather is suitable and there is not too much wind. The Green will be closed while this work is carried out, and for at least a couple of hours afterwards while the herbicide dries. We intend to take the opportunity of the Green being closed to try to paint the A frames at the access points near the old cemetery and at the top of the donkey steps.
August monthly work party
20 August 2018
Mowing the wild flower meadow was the main task for this monthly work party, and it took a marathon effort to complete it, even though we'd hired a power scythe for the weekend. A lot of hard raking was required in some areas to get the flattened vegetation upright and allow the scythe to do it's job. Even then, several passes of the scythe were required.
The cuttings will be left on the meadow for a while to dry out and drop their seeds. This will encourage an even better wild flower display on the meadow next summer. If anyone's interested in acquiring this haylage, please Contact us. |
Speckled Wood Butterfly
16 August 2018
This Speckled Wood butterfly was spotted recently on the Green. For more information about this butterfly follow this link - Speckled Wood butterfly
|
Three Oaks to Remember project
16 August 2018
During this Tuesday's weekly work party, we made a start at clearing the area where we will eventually plant the trees for the Three Oaks to Remember project.
We strimmed off some of the nettles and other weeds growing in the area in front of the old vicarage and roughly marked out where the the three English Oaks will be planted. We are also creating a grass path to make it easier for people to get up to the area for the planting ceremony which will take place on the morning of Saturday 10th November 2018 to commemorate the centenary of the ending of the First World War. We hope you will come and join us. For more information on the project follow this link - World War 1 Commemoration |
August monthly work party
14 August 2018
The next monthly work party will be held between 10.00 am and 12 noon this Saturday morning. Tasks lined up include preparing and painting the main gates, cutting and raking the wild flower meadow and, of course, a litter pick. If you fancy helping, all you need to do is turn up wearing some strong shoes/boots. We have equipment and gloves for you to use and refreshments will be provided.
Notice of spraying
10 August 2018
Sometime in the next three weeks, the Trust will be using a contractor to spray off grass and unwanted vegetation from along path edges. We cannot be specific about the actual date as spraying is dependent on the weather conditions. The Green will be closed while the work is carried out, and for a period of two hours after spraying has finished. Notices will be displayed at the three access points to the Green.
The spray being used is licensed by the UK government and the European Union. It is used by local authorities in parks, on open spaces and on pavements without access restrictions. Once dry, it represents no risk to people or animals.
While spraying is carried out, we intend to paint the "A" frames at the access points near the old cemetery and at the top of the donkey steps.
The spray being used is licensed by the UK government and the European Union. It is used by local authorities in parks, on open spaces and on pavements without access restrictions. Once dry, it represents no risk to people or animals.
While spraying is carried out, we intend to paint the "A" frames at the access points near the old cemetery and at the top of the donkey steps.
July monthly work party and annual picnic
24 July 2018
The monthly work party on Saturday 21 July saw 14 volunteers tackle a number of tasks around the Green. One of the main jobs was pulling up Ragwort, the tall yellow plant that is starting to take over the grassed areas. Another job was coating the "Woodhouse Wolves" carving with wood preserver. This needs to be done twice a year to ensure we can enjoy this piece of public art for many years to come.
Setting up the marquees was a big job as, immediately after the work party, the Trust held its annual picnic. This is our big chance to say thank you to our volunteers, supporters and funders. This year the event was an informal affair and we were pleased to welcome about 25 people, who enjoyed a buffet lunch and lots of cake! Many thanks to Morrison's for contributing some of the food for the picnic. |
Cinnabar moths & ragwort
19 July 2018
Earlier in the summer, we had many sightings of Cinnabar Moths on the Green. This beautiful insect flies during the day and at night. It is easily distinguished by its crimson and black colouring - its name comes from a mineral of the same colour.
They are attracted to the Green as the Cinnabar caterpillar thrives on Ragwort, a tall plant with yellow flowers that is becoming a bit of a problem.
They are attracted to the Green as the Cinnabar caterpillar thrives on Ragwort, a tall plant with yellow flowers that is becoming a bit of a problem.
If you look closely you will see the black and yellow caterpillars feasting on the leaves and flowers of Ragwort, putting on weight ready for pupating. In the 1920s, thousands of Cinnabar Moths were exported to New Zealand to act as a biological control for Ragwort which was colonising thousands of acres of land out there. Unfortunately, it wasn't all that successful.
We need to be careful that the Green doesn't become swamped by Ragwort, a very resilient plant. |
Hungry horses
19 July 2018
In case you're wondering where the horses have gone, they've been moved temporarily to pastures new. With the current drought, the grass on the Green has stopped growing and can't support the horses.
Next wildlife talk
16 July 2018
We are pleased to announce that Dave Goddard of the British Dragonfly Society will be giving a talk on damsel and dragon flies on the evening of Wednesday 24th October 2018 at St. Edmund's church in Mansfield Woodhouse. More details will be announced nearer the time. This is part of a series of wildlife talks we are putting on. If you'd like to be informed of future events, please get in touch via the Contacts page.
July monthly work party
16 July 2018
Just to let you know that we're holding a monthly working party this Saturday morning, July 21st, between 10.00 am and 12 noon. Why not come and help? Tasks to be done are sanding and painting the howling wolf sculpture with preserver, pulling up ragwort which seems to be taking over the Green, a litter pick and strimming encroaching nettles. Don't forget to wear some strong shoes/boots. We do have equipment and gloves for your use. Refreshments will be provided.
Update regarding trees on the Green
3 July 2018
As the Green is freely open to the general public and borders a main road, the trustees agreed it was prudent to have a tree survey carried out by a competent and qualified person. This we did and we now have the surveyor's report.
Most of the recommendations involve cutting away branches so that they do not impede passing traffic, or pedestrians using Welbeck Road, the Green or the Donkey Steps. However a number of larger trees will have to be more seriously reduced, or cut back as they are under stress and could at some point fail and drop branches. The most important of these is the Horse Chestnut which stands opposite the main gate on the sledging slope. The report states that this tree is under stress and concludes Horse Chestnuts “are generally considered weak by virtue of the |
brittle nature of their timber, poor attachment points, susceptibility to decay and the risk associated with sudden, or summer limb drop.” We therefore have to do something about it and we have two viable options:
We have applied for planning consent to carry out all the remedial work on the Green and are seeking quotes from reputable tree surgeons to carry out this work.
If you would like to know more about the work we are about to undertake, or have any concerns, please get in touch, or talk to one of the trustees when they’re on the Green.
- Fence the tree off and try to stop people going under the tree. This would only work if people took notice of a fence and stayed away from the danger of falling branches - which is unlikely, especially during the conker season. Even if people took notice of the fence, it wouldn’t stop a major limb from dropping. If this happens it may cause so much damage to the rest of the tree that it is no longer viable and the whole tree has to be felled.
- Reduce the stress by taking off some of the lower branches and reducing the overall height of the tree. This will alter the shape and size of the canopy but should ensure the Horse Chestnut continues to grace the Green for decades to come and not present a risk to people using the Green.
We have applied for planning consent to carry out all the remedial work on the Green and are seeking quotes from reputable tree surgeons to carry out this work.
If you would like to know more about the work we are about to undertake, or have any concerns, please get in touch, or talk to one of the trustees when they’re on the Green.
Mansfield Woodhouse Summer Event report
26 June 2018
This year's summer event was a great success for the Green with lots visitors turning out on what was a perfect English summer's day. Our stall's plant sales proved particularly popular, as did the "Treasure Island" game to discover where the chocolate treasure was hidden. Many people thought our "Ultimate Lemons" game impossible, where balancing coins on lemons floating in water for just 5 seconds won a cash prize, but 8 people did succeed throughout the day.
A big thank you to everyone who visited our stall, and especially our volunteers who helped us throughout the day. For more pictures from the event see Events under the Gallery heading. |
Mansfield Woodhouse Summer Event
19 June
Just a reminder that the Summer Event is being held on Yeoman Hill Park in Mansfield Woodhouse this Saturday 23rd June commencing 12 noon. The Millennium Green will once again have a stall with games, and we'll be selling plants, jams and bric-a-brac to raise funds for the maintenance of the Green. We hope to see you there and look forward to talking to you about the Green and especially finding out what memories you have of the Green so they can be recorded on the website.
Three more hoglets released onto the Green
18 June
Talking to Cheryl Martins of Mansfield Wildlife Rescue, we learnt that three hoglets (baby hedgehogs) had been released onto the Green recently. Initially they are being given some supplementary food to ensure they get off to a good start. Unfortunately we have no photos of the release.
June monthly work party
17 June
With the vegetation growing extremely fast this time of year, the work party was extremely busy mowing the path edges and clearing burdock plants which were starting to obscure the carving. By the cemetery entrance to the Green, we've been busy trimming back branches overhanging the path and cutting back the tall nettles and herbs in an effort to make the entrance look a little more inviting. And of course there was the usual litter pick.
Sadly in carrying out the work we noticed more vandalism, this time a smashed bird box. |
Tool store funding update
27 May 2018
There's both good and bad news on our quest to fund a much needed tool store on the Green. The good news is that Mansfield Building Society became the first donor to pledge support - a generous £1,000. The bad news is that Green's bid for funding from the Notts. County Council Local Improvement Scheme was unsuccessful this time. We are told this is because we didn't have "matched funding" in place at the time the bid was submitted.
So we have an uphill task to fund the remaining £10,000 required to build a tool store that can withstand mindless attacks from certain disaffected local youths - see the news article dated 22 May.
So we have an uphill task to fund the remaining £10,000 required to build a tool store that can withstand mindless attacks from certain disaffected local youths - see the news article dated 22 May.
Weekly work party
27 May 2018
One of the tasks that we weren’t able to accomplish last Saturday at the monthly Work Party was clearing the weed and grass from under the seats. It’s not an easy job, but four volunteers got stuck in on Tuesday 22 May and after over two hours of sometimes back aching work managed to do all six seats. What a Team! |
Sunny monthly work party
27 May 2018
The monthly working party on 19th May was attended by 11 volunteers who enjoyed a morning working on the Green in wonderful sunshine.
|
Along with the ever necessary litter pick and mowing path edges we carried out work to the trees overhanging the Welbeck road pavement - they need to be a certain height above the footpath. We couldn’t do all that we had planned in this area because we found a Blue Tit nesting in one of the bird boxes so work in that location will have to wait until the autumn. We also reduced the height of the stakes supporting the Rowan Trees along Welbeck Road and checked the tree ties. All the young trees, including those in the Orchard have now been checked.
In April’s Working Party we planted 140 plug plants but recently noticed that these were getting over shadowed by some of the more thuggish weeds, like Hog Weed and Dock. We therefore made a big effort on Saturday to clear these away from the new plants. We may have to do this again on fairly regular basis to give the wildflowers the best chance to flourish. |
More vandalism on the Green
22 May 2018
Unfortunately the recent sunny weather has brought some unwelcome attention to the Green from mindless vandals.
Another fruit tree from the community orchard was snapped and irreparably damaged this afternoon. Youths were seen by a plucky passer by hanging round the orchard when the tree was still intact, and they were still there after the damage had been done a quarter of an hour later. When challenged about the damage, the youths denied involvement. Without witnessing the damage being carried out, unfortunately no further action can be taken.
There have been two incident when the pegs securing the horses have been removed allowing the horses to wander freely about the Green. The Green is fenced so the horses came to no harm, but they could have done considerable damage to the wild flower meadow and the orchard.
If anyone sees any suspicious activity on the Green, please phone the police on 101 or contact the trust.
Another fruit tree from the community orchard was snapped and irreparably damaged this afternoon. Youths were seen by a plucky passer by hanging round the orchard when the tree was still intact, and they were still there after the damage had been done a quarter of an hour later. When challenged about the damage, the youths denied involvement. Without witnessing the damage being carried out, unfortunately no further action can be taken.
There have been two incident when the pegs securing the horses have been removed allowing the horses to wander freely about the Green. The Green is fenced so the horses came to no harm, but they could have done considerable damage to the wild flower meadow and the orchard.
If anyone sees any suspicious activity on the Green, please phone the police on 101 or contact the trust.
May monthly work party
1 May 2018
Just to let you know that the May work party will be held on Saturday 19th May between 10.00 am and 12 noon. Why not come and help? Don’t forget to wear some strong shoes/boots. We do have equipment and gloves for your use. Refreshments will be provided.
Bird feeding project
1 May 2018
After a five week pause the Bird Feeding Project funded by the Peoples Local Postcode Lottery is back on track for a good while now. We stopped feeding in January due to concerns about increased rat sightings. Of course the rodents have always been on the Green, but feeding did encourage them to gather in certain places. We’re now feeding in one area instead of two and have stopped ground feeding altogether. It seems to be working well and we've not had any further reports of rat sightings.
April monthly work party report
23 April 2018
Last Saturday's work party attracted 14 volunteers on a warm and sunny day, so we achieved a lot. 140 native wild flower plug plants, comprising Common Restharrow, Lady's Bedstraw, Rough Hawkbit, Wild Carrot and Cowslip, were planted. Funding for the plug plants came from a "Pollinators' Grant" from Notts Wildlife Trust.
The howling wolf sculpture had dried out sufficiently in the warm weather to give it a light sand and coat of wood preserver. In the orchard, the fruit tress were pruned and the supporting stakes reduced in height to strengthen the trunks. Then there was the usual litter pick, and the Donkey Steps were given a good sweep. All in all a good morning's work. Many thanks to all our helpers. |
Wild flowers
20 April 2018
At Tuesday's work party we gave the wild flower meadow a light trim with the mower as the grass was growing quickly. Taking an inch off the more vigorous grasses gives the wild flowers a better chance of flourishing.
We did the same up by the Horse Chestnut tree (pictured) where we are trying to establish Yellow Rattle. This is the only plant we are trying to introduce in this area and as it is only just come through we were able to take a little more height off the grass here. Yellow Rattle (also known as Hay Rattle) is a hemi-parasite that takes some of its food from the roots of grasses. This weakens the grass which in turn makes the area better for growing wildflowers. |
Next monthly work party - Saturday 21st April
11 April 2018
The next monthly work party will be held between 10 and 12 noon on Saturday 21st April on the Green. Work scheduled to be done includes maintaining the trees in the Community Orchard, some hedge trimming and clearing the Donkey Steps of fallen leaves.
Why not come and help? Don’t forget to wear some strong shoes/boots. We do have equipment and gloves for your use. Refreshments will be provided.
Why not come and help? Don’t forget to wear some strong shoes/boots. We do have equipment and gloves for your use. Refreshments will be provided.
Little Cherubs on the Green
5th April 2018
Toddlers from the Cherubs Day Nursery on Welbeck Road are regular visitors on the Green, and it's great to see them enjoying themselves and learning about nature. Here are a couple of recent photos taken by the howling wolf sculpture, which proves to be a good place for a game of hide and seek.
Path work finished
2nd April 2018
Since last October, volunteers have been out "scalping" path edges across the Green to remove encroaching grass and soil that was gradually narrowing the pathways. The work was finally finished this week. It's been a hard slog for the few volunteers engaged in this work, but necessary to keep the Green accessible to pushchairs and wheelchairs.
|
Thicket planting completed
28 March 2018
We finally completed planting out the thicket in the southern corner of the Green this week. Over 125 whips were planted here, a mixture of hawthorn, blackthorn and Guelder rose which are all native species. We are extremely grateful to The Conservation Volunteers who donated the plants, canes and spiral guards as part of their “I Dig Trees” programme supported by OVO Energy. In addition, we planted 50 common dogwood whips along the top of the bund on the north east corner of the site where the Donkey Steps come out on Welbeck Road.
We've launched our Robin Hood Lottery page.
27 March 2018
To buy tickets and support the Millennium Green click here.
Work party goes ahead despite wintry weather
22 March 2018
Five hardy volunteers braved sub-zero temperatures and snow showers to start planting a thicket in the southern corner of the green. Despite the conditions, 100 tree bare rooted tree whips were planted, a mixture of hawthorn, blackthorn, Guelder rose and dogwood which are all native species. Once planted, the whips were staked, then protected with a tree guard and mulch mats.
We've still got a further 50 whips to plant, and we plan to finish the job next Tuesday morning. |
Planning consent for tool store
15 March 2018
Planning consent for a tool store on the Green has recently been granted by Mansfield District Council's Planning Committee. Now the hard work starts raising funds to build the store, which has to be brick built to comply with the conditions attached to the consent.
Trustee recruitment
13 March 2018
If you believe you have the skills, experience and time to help us run the Green, find out more by clicking here.
Pear tree vandalised
13 March 2018
We were working on the Green this morning in some welcome warm Spring sunshine and enjoying watching wrens, robins and a buzzard until we discovered one of the pear trees in the community orchard had been vandalised. With the trunk snapped in two, it was beyond saving and has been dug up. The damage was first noticed by a dog walker on Sunday morning, so it was most likely carried out the previous day. If anyone has any information on who did this, please contact the police or let us know. There was good community involvement in planting the orchard, and once the trees have matured the fruit will be available for anyone to pick and enjoy, so this vandalism is a truly anti-social act.
March work party
8 March 2018
The next monthly work party will be held between 10 and 12 noon on Saturday 17 March on the Green. This party's main task will be to plant a thicket in the south east corner of the site. The thicket will be ideal habitat for insects will in turn provide food to support birds and bats.
Why not come and help? Don’t forget to wear some strong shoes/boots. We do have equipment and gloves for your use, and refreshments will be provided.
Why not come and help? Don’t forget to wear some strong shoes/boots. We do have equipment and gloves for your use, and refreshments will be provided.
Bat talk success
7 March 2018
Around 70 people turned out this evening to hear Michael Walker of the Nottinghamshire bat group deliver a fascinating talk on the evolution of bats, the many different species, their habitats, food, breeding cycle and efforts to record, preserve and even expand their numbers in the UK. Apparently bats fly with their hands, their wings having the same basic structure as human hands. Out of more than 2000 species of bat, only three types drink blood and they are only to be found in South America and they don't trouble humans. For further information on bats and how to support conservation work see nottsbatgroup.org.uk.
Winter wonderland
28 February 2018
Two sisters were making the most of their school being closed today due to the inclement weather. For more winter scenes from the Green click here.
|
Bat talk proving popular
27 February 2018
With 50 tickets issued, the bat talk on Wednesday 7th March is certainly proving popular. There's plenty of seating capacity at the venue, St Edmund's church, so reserve your free tickets now - click here for further details.
First Butterfly Sighting of 2018!
20 February 2018
You don’t expect to see butterflies in the second half of February, but that is what was spotted on Tuesday 20 February by the Main Gate. We’d been working on the Green and were packing up when a Red Admiral flew past, over the stone pile and along the Welbeck Road hedge.
This hardy little insect would have hibernated over the winter and been brought out by the sunshine that morning. Although I’ve never seen one so early, it’s not the first sighting in the East Midlands this year - a Red Admiral was recorded just over the border in Leicestershire as early as the end of January. |
The Red Admiral is a migrant species that come over from the continent usually in May or June. Many of the females are already carrying fertile eggs and it is the butterflies that come from these that we see through our summer months. We often get them on the Green late into the year. In November 2014, when we were building the new Gateway I saw a very tatty Red Admiral (pictured above) who judging by the state of its wings must have had many a lucky escape from insect eating birds.
February work party
17 February 2018
This morning 10 volunteers, including 2 juniors, helped trim the Welbeck Road hedge down to 4 feet high, created habitat piles with the trimmings to encourage invertebrates, and carried out a litter pick. Trimming now, after all the berries have been eaten and well before birds start to build nests, encourages the hedge to thicken out and provides even more nesting opportunities. It also ensures a clear view of the Green, reducing opportunities for anti-social behaviour and making the Green a more pleasant place to walk across. Thanks to everyone who came and helped; we couldn’t manage without you!
Work party observer
30 January 2018
We were joined on our coffee break this morning by this kestrel which settled in a nearby tree and watched us for about 20 minutes. It had clearly eaten a good breakfast as it made no attempt to hunt, but contentedly soaked up the winter sunshine as we were doing.
In between bird watching, the volunteers replaced mulch mats protecting the young trees in the orchard and carried out a litter pick on the Green and the neighbouring Donkey Steps. If you have any photos of wildlife on the Green, why not share them with us? Get in touch using the Contacts page. |
Proposed tool store
24 January 2018
Currently, the machinery & tools owned by the Millennium Green are stored across a number of sites in Volunteer’s homes, garages and gardens. Before and after working parties and at other times this equipment has to be gathered up and transported to and from the Green. Volunteers to use their own transport to cart equipment to & from the Green causing wear and tear and potential damage to tools, volunteers, vehicles and the Green. This situation is unsustainable in the long run.
The Trustees would like to build a brick tool store on the Green and are currently looking into planning consent and funding for the project. Details of the planned store and its location can be found below.
The Trustees would like to build a brick tool store on the Green and are currently looking into planning consent and funding for the project. Details of the planned store and its location can be found below.
|
|
Bat talk
23 January 2018
The Trust has arranged for Michael Walker of Nottinghamshire's Bat Group to talk about bats at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 7th March 2018 in St Edmund's Church, 1 Welbeck Rd, Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield NG19 9JY. For details on how to get tickets to this free event see Bat talk.
January work party
22 January 2018
On 20 January we had the first Monthly Working Party of 2018 and despite the cold weather 11 volunteers turned out to help. One of our jobs was to move a pile of wood chips that had been produced from the brash left over after the work carried out on the Welbeck Road hedge and spread them along the hedge line on Welbeck Road, mulching the new plants which were put in during December to help them get established. This new planting was the final part of a five year project to regenerate the whole boarder hedge between the road and the Green. The new hedge consists of a mixture of Hawthorne, Common Buckthorn and Wild Privet and was necessary to replace the old moribund Hawthorn trees.
We also had time to litter pick, which is a bit like painting the Forth Railway Bridge, no sooner you finish at one end than you have start at the other - we will never be short of a job to do! |
Volunteer training
15 January 2018
Three Trust Volunteers spent a very cold two hours at Pleasley Community Orchard on Saturday 13 January learning about fruit tree pruning. The course was delivered by John Starkey, the current owner of John Starkey Fruit Farms and the grandson of the man who first planted a Bramley Apple Orchard in Southwell back in 1910. The course was organised by Friends of Pleasley Community Orchard through the Greenwood Community Forum and attended by around 25 people from six other Greenwood partners. Like us, most of them were in the process of establishing orchards at their locations so it was a good opportunity to learn from an expert and share ideas with other voluntary groups. Overall it was well worth the effort, but boy…. was it cold!!!!
|
Bird feeding project suspended
10 January 2018
Unfortunately the bird feeding project has had to be suspended due to a rat infestation. All the bird feeders have been removed from the Green. We will monitor the situation for a short while to see if the family of rats move on now their food source has been removed.
Christmas Fair stall
8 January 2018
Our stall at the Mansfield Woodhouse Christmas Fair on December 9th at the Turner Hall generated a record £196 profit for the Trust. Many thanks to our volunteers who donated or made items to sell and staffed the stall throughout the day, and to everyone who bought our produce. The trustees took the opportunity to talk to many locals during the day about the Green. We were delighted with the unanimously positive responses we received.
Bird feeding project
2 January 2018
Our dedicated volunteers are out daily braving the winter weather ensuring the bird feeders on the Green are kept topped up. The aim of the project is to increase the numbers and species of birds visiting the Green, but in particular we hope to attract the Dunnock, Bullfinch and Mistle Thrush which are on the Birds of Conservation Concern amber or red list. Initial funding for the project has been provided by the Postcode Local Trust. If you'd like to volunteer for this project, donate bird food or make a monetary donation, please get in touch via the Contact page.
|
Website building
18 December 2017
Andy & Bob, two of our Trustees, went back to school today to learn how to build and maintain a web-site. They will be developing this site over the next few weeks by adding historic events and photos as well as advertising forthcoming events and promoting the Millennium Green. If you have any historic photos of the Green that you are happy to share with us please email them through to us using our email account [email protected].