Rhody Bashing, Park Hall Moor with MNTV, 6/2/11

Nine volunteers from MNTV (Manchester National Trust volunteers) turned out and met up with the warden's team in Hayfield.  We travelled part way to the work site using NT landrovers due to limited space for parking where we were working. 

It was then a short walk onto Park Moor to continue cutting and

burning rhododendron along the edge of a stream where we have worked before.

There had been extensive rain on Saturday and the streams were full, with surface water in erosion channels in the paths as well.  As most of the

volunteers were experienced it didn't take long to get them going, with

Shane initially requesting that we clear off the small plants from the

flatter part of the moor. 

Once we had done all that were within a

convenient distance of the fire - which the wardens were tending, a few

volunteers continued the cutting process down the slope into the valley.

The rest of the team dragged the cut material up and along to the fire.

We were making good progress and making a visible difference to the

remaining stands of R. ponticum in the valley when a call was received that an access road was collapsing.  As the wardens were needed elsewhere we hadto stop and clear up.  Alex remained behind to make the fire safe whileeveryone else trooped off to investigate.

On investigation it was found that ground water had caused to the surface of
the drive that the landrovers were parked on to blister, and a vehicle had

broken through the surface into rather fluid mud underneath.  We helped

clear an "off road" route around the problem, and eventually went home.

Gordon, Manchester National Trust Volunteers