This morning at GoodGym we decided to divide and conquer as there were a number of tasks to complete, and so I went with the Biodiversity task with WEAct Woking!

Meeting at the designated location after parking at St John’s Lye car park the guys and I got to work.

It has been said that the Laurel was planted around the Victorian age as it was then fashionable to cover the forest floor but was not indigenous. Removing it in modern day times enables more plant life to grow up through it! On some occasions WEAct has planted wild flowers over whatever has been removed.

The guys gave me a pair of lopers and some gloves and we worked to reduce a huge pile of Laurel that had already been cut. This was then put into a large stack to be removed later.

Leaving at break time the guys offered me some coffee and biscuits 🍪 but I only asked if they could take some photos for me for this report. They continued to work after I left, there is so much to remove that this task could have gone on all day 😂

Thanks guys see you next time!

Luan

Our mission Owl Box Installation🦉 & Maintenance Of Existing Boxes (St John's Lye) Woking.

It was another Biodiversity task, so for me (Luan) I jumped into action this Saturday morning; our mission was sooo interesting and cool!

Meeting with first Wayne and then Kirsty (two of my most favourite positive and encouraging members) in the carpark everyone was in good spirits! Working with members of WEAct we had 3 Owl Boxes to replace and 1 that in the end was just inspected and maintained (loads of foliage was removed from it). Using our map of St John's Lye, see picture attached the boxes were placed strategically around the area.

The boxes were already made for us to put up, but we had to add or nail in a perch onto them first, the biggest challenge finding the right tree and then, it was a man's kind of job to drill the boxes into the trees up ladders. The girls helped by carrying kit around the location and clearing all nails from older boxes that could then be left to biodegrade.

So much fun!

Thanks Everyone :-)

Andy and Nadia turned up at Mayford Meadows to meet the We Act Woking Biodiversity group, to remove some tree covers along Hoe Stream.

As they got started, Andy and Nadia worked alongside the We Act group, actively removing tree covers and enhancing the area's aesthetic appeal. The group's efforts were focused on creating a more inviting and beautiful space for the community. 🌾

Having learned that these tree covers had been in the area for around 20 years, through their collective efforts, the group successfully transformed the area, making it a more enjoyable space for everyone, and letting the trees enjoy a plastic free environment. 💚

The collaboration between We Act and GoodGym proved to be a winning combination as always, bringing people together and making a positive impact on the community.

Rob, Stephanie and Julie were working with Woking Environment Action (WEAct) at St John's Lye. At the edge of the wood near the playing field there is a pond which had become overgrown with willow and it was barely getting any light. Due to the dry weather there was no water so we were able to walk on the soft mud, avoiding some tiny froglets, and remove large branches of willow that had grown across the pond. Stephanie and Rob did a great job of cutting the smaller branches, sawing some larger ones and getting all the brash to the habit piles being created in the undergrowth nearby. Within 1 1/2 hours the pond space was clear and looking great. Now all it needs is a good downpour to fill the pond and it will be a great feature for visitors to the area, both human and other species.

Looking forward to our next task on Wednesday, we will be plogging!

After the success of our mission on Sunday with WEAct, Julie organised another GoodGym task along the Hoe Valley. Alys (and her little dog Quinn), Julie, Kirsty, Anne and Wayne, sorry, Adam ran to meet Richard in Mayford.

Richard is well known to GoodGym Woking as we often go and help him set up the railway tracks for the monthly “All Aboard Club” sessions which he runs for SEN children. This time it was Richard’s first GG mission without his “All Aboard” cap. We were all delighted when he let us use all the gardening tools he had brought with him!

Julie and Anne realised that the WEAct team had cleared all the Himalayan balsam in the areas we had planned to work on. But after a few metres of running, we found more to deal with.

Firstly, Julie asked for volunteers to cut back one of the bushes which encroached the path, allowing better access for walkers and runners. Richard and Wayne, oops, Adam did so diligently.

Armed with a long handle tool, Kirsty opened the path. Kirsty had warned everyone to cover their arms and legs to avoid being stung by nettles. Guess who forgot that covering your ankles was just as important? (no other comments). Poor Wayne, sorry again, Adam might not have read Kirsty’s messages. But this did not stop him tackling the nettles with enthusiasm. I wonder how his limbs are feeling this morning.

We pulled out a large patch of the invasive Himalayan balsam while discovering more as we worked up the path. We will return before the plants produce their seeds to try and limit their invasion. Julie will keep the WEAct team of our task.

The group ran back to our meeting point, fighting mosquitoes and calling Alys’s dog “This way”, which he is responding well to, every time he was taking another route.

Adam, we know your name really and apologise for calling you Wayne all evening!

Will you be joining us this coming Sunday to help Woking junior parkrun?

Happy running to you all.

Julie and Anne ran to Mayford Meadows to help a group of people from WEAct to pull balsam from the path along the Hoe.

The Hymalian Balsam have really pretty flowers and grow next to water. Unfortunately, they are very invasive as their seeds can be projected up to ten meters from their stem. Already, people living along the Hoe Valley have noticed how much they have expanded and know something must be done about it. Hence the involvement of WEAct with whom we have already done different missions.

Julie and Anne worked together and managed to clear quite a large area making two enormous piles of the balsam. We had to stomp on them and leaving them in a pile will help with them not making roots for next year.

Anne, who had forgotten to pack her gloves, was saved by Julie who always has some spare in her magic bag. Another issue was the stinging nettles, thank goodness we did not run in shorts, but our arms are still tingling! The bindweeds (le liseron in French!) did not help either as they gathered the nettles to the balsam…

But hey-“Hoe” after one and a half hour, we had cleared up a large area and were rather pleased with the result! So much so, that we will invite the whole team to pull some more balsam before the flowers produce their seeds! Hopefully most of you will be able to join us for a pleasant run and a rewarding task!

In the meantime, happy running to all of you!