I spent a few hours helping the Itchen Navigation Trust at Ham Farm installing a dead hedge along the path. It was hard work sawing the tree limbs, moving and trimming them.

I pinched this explanation from the friends of Itchen Navigation facebook page as it describes what we did today and why.....

Around Ham Farm some of the reed beds and river margins have eroded away and have lost their diversity. The reed bed above Ham bridge was being smothered by bramble and elder, and it was being shaded by the willows, leading to a loss of marginal and submerged vegetation. If left to nature the reed bed would eventually become thick bramble, nettles and willows, this is natural process called succession and it is happening all along the Navigation, but there needs to be a balance. There was also a lot of erosion and compaction in this area from people and dogs.

The 50m of dead hedge we installed today will protect the degraded bank here and promote the re-generation of the reed beds. This will create a more diverse habitat and, consequently protect the tow path from erosion. The removal of a number of willows will let in more light. Protected areas like this are also great places where water vole and other wildlife can live without the constant disturbance of people and dogs, we may even get the swans nesting safely here.

Our charity are doing our best to protect the important marginal vegetation and enhance biodiversity along the Navigation and we couldn’t do it without the help of our wonderful volunteers, there will be another day coming up soon to finish this area.