The Friends of Ansdell & Fairhaven Railway Station have published their quarterly report on activities for July 2024. Full details below:
Friends of Ansdell & Fairhaven Railway Station Team Update
JULY 2024 ISSUE 4
Our Station
The area in which we work and get creative in includes some intense work areas, and unwelcome guests.
Activities
Some of our work sessions, achievements and how nature has a life of its own and other routine bits and pieces and a new volunteer.
Our Station in May
The station footprint has quite a spread, from the running platform which rail users and visitors always see in its splendour, back towards to where the “wilderness” begins and where the real work always challenges us, and where the wildlife roam at ease, hidden in the undergrowth where its quiet and they can get on with what they do best, along with a few humans who trespass under the arches.
Activities in June
We struggled with the roots from the dead gorse bush. It is surprising how invasive and damaging roots can be. After the roots were removed it was ready for seeding around the low growing rowan trees that were planted earlier this year.
Ballast stored opposite the platform is slowly disappearing as nature is making its way around it, eventually it will be obscured from view.
It’s surprising how tough plants can be, we go out of our way to plant and care for them, but yet a solitary poppy grows in the surface of the tarmac. With very little water it provides a rich colour in a barren space. Nature is so astounding at times and we try to let it get on with what it does best….
Activities in July (including a new Volunteer)
A bunny (see right hand image above) family was abandoned on the station, but eventually they were successfully re-homed, phew, plants saved! Bird boxes were installed and also insect habitat boxes as well and we had a few visitors in other areas, a meadow grasshopper (there are lots of them in the area), many bumble bees, including one on a white hollyhock and a lady beetle.
Strawberries and rhubarb have provided some fruits for us to try. We also have a new volunteer called Jill who has joined us at the station, boosting our team efforts as she helped install the insect boxes.
To see the original PDF version of the report with more images click on the link here: Ansdell & Fairhaven Quarterly Report July 2024