On the 29th of March, IASME spent the day cleaning up the Malvern Hills. Community Projects Coordinator, David Millard fills us in.
After meeting at 10am at the Beacon Car Park, we walked towards the Beacon to meet the Malvern Hills Trust (MHT) officials.
We were provided with gloves and tools and directed to a site on the side of the hills which needed clearing. We set to work cutting down small trees & gorse bushes before dragged them down the hill to a bonfire. We had a good turn out (despite the inclement weather) and managed to helpfully clear ‘thuggish’ scrub and ‘invasive’ small tree saplings.
In doing so, according to the MHT, we were caring for the special acid grassland and the associated scarce plants that grow around the large rocky outcrops that are a short way further down the slope. We were also helping to protect habitats suitable for plants and animals, like lizards, butterflies and bees.
