Work Day at Barlow Common

Barlow Common is one of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's newest nature reserves.  Used as common land for centuries, in the early twentieth century it was acquired by the local railway company and has been used intermittently as a ballast tip for over 50 years.

In the 1980s, improvements began and the land is now a local nature reserve. It is now a mixture of ponds, grassland and woodland that is enjoyed by many local people.

Many trees have been planted, creating woodland consisting of oak, birch, wild cherry, rowan, willow, alder, hazel, hawthorn and elder. It is a rich wildlife habitat particularly suitable for small birds such as dunnocks, tits and willow warblers.

Some of the old tip area has been allowed to colonise naturally and supports many species of wildflower such as evening primrose, ox-eye daisy, teasel, vipers bugloss, red and white campion and bird's foot trefoil. This rich flora provides a home for a great variety of insect life.

On Tuesday I met a lovely group of local volunteers and took part in a task day.  The main goal for the day was to tidy up the road and pathways, where scrub was starting to encroach.  One of the volunteers went along the edges with a mower and cut back approximately a metre from the edge, and the rest of us raked up. We also cut back brambles that were starting to take over, as well as overhanging tree branches.

Needless to say I am feeling a little sore today, but it was good exercise on a cold but beautiful winters day, with great company.