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Muckers Update
Here's an update on the work of the Trust's loyal band of trusty conservation volunteers, also known as the Midweek Muckers.
Over the last few months the team has concentrated on three of the Trust's largest reserves, two of which - Close Sartfield and Cooildarry are open to the public - so why not go along and appreciate up close all the hand work put in by Reserves Officer Tricia Sayle and the Muckers!
The Trust is very grateful to all the Midweek Muckers for their relentless energy and enthusiasm on the Trust's reserves, two days a week, 52 weeks of the year.
Close Sarfield
Much of the volunteer work has been concentrated at Close Sartfield nature reserve where yet more efforts have gone into the “great bog project”.
 The third phase of work has been the clearing of an area to the north of the bog to create a region of rough grassland that will act as a buffer zone between the bog and the willow scrub. An area approximately 100 x 50m has been cleared in about 388 hours.
To date, the whole project, bog and grassland, has taken over 1000 hours or about 150 days! This work is now almost complete but any further clearance will have to wait now until the autumn. The locals seem very curious as to what we are up to and twice we have found ourselves watched by wallabies!
More info about Close Sartfield:
BBC Countryfile Team at Close Sartfield
Phase 1 of the great bog project:
Phase 2 of the great bog project:
Rare species of plant found in newly cleared land at Close Sartfield:
Want to visit the reserve? Find out more here
Cooildarry
Rhododendron clearance has taken place with great gusto in Cooildarry and work is well under way to restoring the ponds at the Pleasure Gardens.
 The first efforts to clear the big tree out of the first pond went well, as can be seen from the photograph above. There have been plenty of opportunities for more splashing about in the river as we continue to try and protect paths from being undercut by the river (photo, right).
More about work at Cooildarry:
Recent work at the reserve
Want to visit the reserve? Find out more here
Glen Dhoo
Work has begun again up Glen Dhoo doing gorse clearance, always a popular task, as there are usually plenty of opportunities for a good bonfire.
We’ve begun grubbing out some of the gorse roots, which is very hard work, but effective and exceedingly satisfying (photo below). There will be lots of tasks on this reserve through the summer.
Find out more about the Glen Dhoo reserve here 
How about joining the Muckers?
Since the start of the New Year we have welcomed many new volunteers to our regular Midweek Muckers.
Find out more about the Muckers, and the work they do, here
If you would like to get some fresh air and exercise, meet interesting people and have the chance to visit many of our nature reserves, then please call the office (01624 801985) and ask for Tricia.
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