“Nothing is so beautiful as Spring –
When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush
Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush
Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring
The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing”
Gerard Manley Hopkins
Spring has almost sprung on the Bishop’s Meadow with the first catkins dangling from the hazel trees along the banks of the River Wey, shaking in the breeze like lambs’ tails. The winter snow and heavy rains have left the ground muddy underfoot after the annual flooding. But flooding is what a floodplain meadow is all about, with the meadows acting as a buffer or a slow-release reservoir helping to prevent the Gostrey Meadow from flooding.
Preserving the meadows
The Bishop’s Meadow Trust was not only set up to preserve a floodplain meadow, but also to protect a unique part of Farnham's heritage and provide a very precious wildlife corridor. We have also pledged to preserve the land for the quiet enjoyment of local people and to this end we will continue to put up signs, in addition to the ones already on the noticeboard and those we erected and continually re-erected when they were pulled down last summer, to warn people against illegal motorbiking on the meadow and discourage them from congregating around the weir and swimming in the river, disturbing our neighbours and the wildlife.
As a board of trustees, we have had many discussions trying to work out what to do regarding the above issues. Over the course of the past year, we have been in consultation with Surrey Police, the Environment Agency, Surrey Wildlife Trust and an appointed land agent in our attempts to work out the best way forward. We have also been in constant conversation with many of our neighbours regarding the various problems associated with being custodians of a privately owned floodplain meadow that is in daily use by the public, attempting to balance our remit to protect the natural environment, our obligations to our neighbours and our commitment to our members and the general public.
Image courtesy of Tim Bateman
Riverbank Erosion Project in conjunction with the Environment Agency
In consultation with the Environment Agency, we are beginning a project to stop further bank side erosion of the river upstream from the weir, opposite the Mill Cottages, where initially fishermen dug out the bank and then more recently it has become a popular local bathing spot with teenagers. As landowners the trust has duty to maintain the bank of the river. The result of this consultation is that the area that needs attention, the low-lying area upstream of the weir will have wooden stakes in it to form a barrier and the eroded area will be infilled and planted with tough robust rooted native plants will help bond the bank. But this area is where the flood water exits the meadows so by planting deep enough it’s hoped they will survive.
We have been offered the help of a Surrey County Council group called The Skill Mill to move hedging plants from our orchard that the trust received many years ago. Hawthorn and other native hedging is going in now help their roots bond the bank together to prevent further erosion and these will be will be surrounded by a fence to protect them from human invasion until they mature.
Felling of the Poplars alongside the light industrial estate carpark
“My aspens dear, whose airy cages quelled,
Quelled or quenched in leaves the leaping sun,
All felled, felled, are all felled;
Of a fresh and following folded rank
Not spared, not one
That dandled a sandalled
Shadow that swam or sank
On meadow & river & wind-wandering weed-winding bank.”
Gerard Manley Hopkins
(in a less joyful mood, perhaps after visiting the Bishop’s Meadow last month!)
The trust has been saddened to have been forced to fell the poplar trees on the boundary with British Car Auctions because every year or two a risk assessment must be completed on trees on the land so that the public liability insurance is valid. The report, which is available to view on our website, showed a large number of trees were of risk and others that needed imminent pollarding. The trust made the decision that pollarding to six metres was not an economic decision for the future as they would need pollarding again in five to eight years. We have been assured that they will start to regrow from the base. Now they have gone it’s hoped that planted Hawthorns will come into their own. The trunks have been left as habitats for nature and families to enjoy as a picnic area.
The cost of the felling of the poplar trees was over £6,000 so it has put a halt to on any ideas of increasing cattle grazing areas for this year and now the trust is inside the government’s agriculture payment scheme we can apply for grants for many works, especially cattle fencing.
Images courtesy of Jonathan Durham ARPS
For anyone interested, we found this example of public spiritedness posted on Farnham Next Door last week by Mark Whitmore…
”Anyone want to litter pick on Sunday morning on the Bishops Meadow?
I know that the subject of litter seems to be one that people care quite a lot about. I do. I wanted to try and help, so I bought a helping hand litter picker and bin bag holder. They are great tools and make it so much easier on your back. I am trying to focus my current efforts on green areas, that in a few short weeks will burst forth with new growth, making it harder to pick the litter. Arthur a helpful man at the town council has loaned some additional litter pickers and bin bag holders. We intend to litter pick Bishops Meadow this Sunday. I generally start around 08.00 and finish by 11.00 any longer and you don't feel like coming back next week. Also, its Mother's Day this weekend so you need to get back to do the cooking. If you would like to come and help, for whatever duration feel free to message me. This bit is part Health and Safety and part common sense: Bring a pair of glasses to protect your eyes, you only get two and they are the most vulnerable parts of your body. As the litter blows into the bushes and gets trapped there, you could get hurt reaching for it. Bring a pair of gloves. Wear clothes and footwear that are either suitable, or you don't care about. If you want to bring a hi vis vest, do so, but it is not vital as we are not intending to pick near traffic. Headphones and something that you want to listen to makes it go quicker. There is enough space and litter to do this in a socially distanced way. If it is raining, we will cancel. We have found that litter picking with the right tools and attitude is weirdly satisfying. Thanks for taking the time to read this far.”
If you would like to litter pick or do anything else to help preserve the natural beauty of the Bishop’s Meadow, please email us at info@bishopsmeadowtrust.com
Yours,
Lou James - Chair
www.bishopsmeadowtrust.com
RIP The Polars
