Wapley Bushes gains eighth Green Flag Community Award in a row

Members of Wapley Bushes Conservation Group showing off their eighth Green Flag Community Award at one of the Bug Hotels during their July work morning on the Local Nature Reserve.

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve and the Orchard for the Future have been recognised as one of the UK’s very best green spaces. Today, a record number of parks and green spaces collect a Green Flag Award.

This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Wapley Bushes has won the Green Flag Community Award, a category for green spaces that are managed by voluntary and community groups. There are only eleven Community Awards in the whole of the South West. In fact there are only two Green Flag Awards of any kind in South Gloucestershire, the other one being Page Park in Staple Hill.

Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve is an area of meadows and woodlands which is very popular with local people of all ages. It is managed by the volunteers of the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group on behalf of site owners Dodington Parish Council.

Committee member Paul Hulbert said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Community Award for the eighth time”

“Our local green spaces really matter to residents and visitors. They make a major contribution to health and wellbeing”

“This award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Wapley Bushes to such a high standard - the real credit goes to our hard-working volunteers, and to Dodington Parish Council for their unfailing practical and financial help”

"Our reserve is a mixture of flower-rich meadows, ancient woodland and younger plantations. We work closely with South Gloucestershire Council and the Southwold Group of the Wildlife Trust, who provide us with very valuable advice"

The next work morning on the Reserve will be Sunday 8 September, meeting at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am. Extra volunteers would be very welcome – please contact Paul Hulbert on 01454 315851 for more details, or just turn up.

Wapley Bushes wins major environmental award for fourth year running

Wapley Bushes has just won the Green Flag Community Award, the only such award in South Gloucestershire. Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, Wapley Common and the Orchard for the Future form one of the very best green spaces in the UK – and that’s official. The green space is among a record-breaking 1,686 places that have received the prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

A Green Flag is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent facilities. The Community Award recognises sites that are largely managed by community groups, in this case the volunteers of Wapley Bushes Conservation Group.

The award, now celebrating its 20th year, recognises and rewards the best parks and green spaces across the country. Wapley's Green Flag was presented yesterday at the regional Green Flag Award event in Cheltenham. This is the fourth year running that Wapley has succeeded in gaining this award.

Mud, mud, glorious mud

Network Rail's contractors have caused more damage to the grass than we anticipated, but we're on the case.

As you can see, the big tracked vehicle and the tractor and trailer have been taken further into the mouth of the Lower Meadow than we had anticipated, and the whole entranceway is just mud.

There are also tracks on the near corner of the Common and to the side of the roadway in between.

The big tracked vehicle will be removed from the Common side of the bridge on Saturday night, crossing the railway track to get back to the compound. The tractor and trailer will finish their work on Monday. On Tuesday there should be a pavement sweeper on site to clean the mud off the tarmac roadway.

We are meeting the site manager on Monday morning to discuss the RADAR gate and ground reinstatement. The site manager appreciates that we're not best pleased, while we do understand the practical difficulties of manoeuvring such large vehicles in such tight quarters.

On a related local note, we have also met South Glos this morning about the boggy patches on the "Ashtrack" footpath from Wapley Bridge towards Goldcrest Park. They have measured it up and agreed the necessary works, and they anticipate doing the work in June/July when Network Rail are well clear and the ground has dried up. Some parts of the path will just be topped up, the worst parts will be reconstructed and drainage will be put in at one or two points.

Wapley bridge - side panels added

The side panels were added to the replacement Sergeants Farm Bridge last night, and the very large crane has now left site.

Presumably the next step will be to establish the bridge deck, and then build up the approach ramps.

Work is anticipated to take until some time in March to complete.

First stage of the new Wapley bridge

The support beams for the new bridge were put into place the night before last, so you can now see the increased clearance that will be needed for the overhead electric cables.

The new support beams rest on the century-old supporting piers

Trains are running regularly under the partly constructed bridge

Wapley bridge the morning after the night before

Work on the Wapley bridge came to a halt last night due to the wind and rain - it would have been unsafe to lift the new bridge sections in. We don't yet know the new timing for this but we're guessing next week, maybe New Year's Eve / New Year's Day.

Update 28 December - they've lifted the new bridge beams in! Picture to follow. 

A train thunders past the gap and the crane. Parts of the new bridge are on the lorry on the right.

The gap, with the left-hand support being built up with concrete to the new height.

The support beams for the new bridge waiting on the lorry.

Wapley Bridge up, up and away!

The old bridge across the railway from Shire Way to Wapley Common (Sergeant's Farm Bridge) was craned out this morning (Boxing Day) in a spectacular operation by Network Rail's contractors Murphy and crane operators James Jack.

The 1900s structure was stubborn to the last - it took a man with a sladgehammer to free it from its masonry supports.

Wapley bridge - Network Rail promised a big crane...

... and they weren't joking! The Big Lift should start around 8.30 or 9.00 am on Boxing Day morning.

Work on temporary Wapley footbridge going well

They've erected the two stairways and they are just putting the support for the walkway across today (Sunday 7 Dec). Presumably they'll need some more time without any trains passing to finish the walkway off.

Wildlife and history walk at Wapley - Sunday 3 July 2pm

Natural England has recently declared that Wapley Bushes is an Ancient Woodland - that means it's more than 400 years old.

To celebrate, there's a guided walk through the woods and meadows on Sunday. The meadows are currently full of wild flowers and butterflies. The walk will also showcase some of the major projects that the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group has undertalken over the past year.

Everyone welcome - meeting at the Shire Way gate, next to the zebra crossing. Please wear suitable footwear.

History for all the family at Lower Woods - Sunday 7th September

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust has a family event to celebrate 2000 Years of history at Lower Woods Nature Reserve, near Wickwar, on Sunday 7th September from 11.30 am to 5.00 pm.

There will be a guided archaeology/history walk with experts around the Roman Villa and World War II sawmills (N.B. Excavations are not visible) and guided wildlife and geology walks through the Woods.

There will be a marquee with displays of archaeology, history and wildlife, plus demonstrations of traditional woodland activities.

There will be family activity walks in the Woods, and children can help to build an Iron Age roundhouse (probably muddy - wear appropriate clothes or bring a change!)

Demonstrations of traditional woodland activities will including bodging, coppicing, hurdle-making, horse-logging, fletcher, charcoal-burning and a herbalist.

There are full details and directions on the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust website.

Wapley Bushes - come and help, Sunday 31 August

The Wapley Bushes Conservation Group is meeting on Sunday 31 August at the Shire Way gate at 10.00 am. They will be doing some general conservation work such as tidying up a small stream that is the habitat of a very rare plant. (No, not this one - this is just one of the Lords and Ladies arums)

Please come along and help! Tools are provided, but you'll need to wear wellies or stout footwear and appropriate clothing. If you would like more details please ring Paul on 01454 315851, but you can just turn up on the day.

You can also find out more about the Nature Reserve from the Wapley Bushes Blog.

Wapley Bushes - a very special place

A recent survey by experts has confirmed just how special the Lower Meadow at Wapley is. Its wide range of species puts it in the national top grade of grassland - in fact it's SSSI standard (Site of Special Scientific Interest). It will not be officially declared as an SSSI because that is only done if a site is at risk. One species that has been recorded officially for the first time is the Bee Orchid (though it has been seen occasionally in previous years).

Paul Hulbert, a member of the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, said “This is great news, and confirms that our management plan is working”.

“However, some local people have asked why the Lower Meadow has been cut earlier than usual. This is based on expert advice to stop the spread of meadowsweet and other invasive plants. It's a compromise - some of the valuable species have only partly set seed, but they could be in danger of being strangled”.

The next Wapley work morning will be on Sunday 2 September – for further details contact Paul Hulbert on 01454 315851 or Isabel Ryan on 01454 313055.

Wapley Bushes also has its own blog (online diary) with lots of photos of the reserve – see www.wapley.blogspot.com.