The restrictions imposed because of FMD devastated our recent program, with only the work in the Pocket Park able to continue. Fortunately, the restrictions have now been lifted and work can re-commence.
The next one was scheduled for Wednesday 27th June in the Village Hall. Because of the lack of activity, there is very little to discuss and your committee has decided to save the hall hire fee and cancel it.
The AGM will take place on 19th September in the Arun Hall of the Village Hall at 7:30pm. As a reminder, there will be another issue of the newsletter a week or so beforehand.
I intend to resign as acting chairman of the group with effect from the AGM. The committee is strong, the work program is established, the finances are adequate and my job as a catalyst is almost done.
Work has continued throughout the Foot and Mouth crisis as the Pocket Park can be reached from the playing fields without using a public footpath. At long last it has been dry enough for us to burn the prunings, branches and garden rubbish which accumulated during the winter. We have also re-surfaced the footbridge path with wood chips and reinstated the vandalised sign board which was donated by the WI back in the Park's early days. A nesting box kindly made for us by Terry Roberts was fixed to an Alder tree and used within days - such is the shortage of affordable rural housing for hole-nesting birds!
Most of our rooks have moved to trees near Duncan's pond after many years of nesting in the Pocket Park. It is not clear why this should have happened and it would be interesting to know whether anyone has experience of a long-established rookery suddenly relocating in this way. Our only theory is that floodlighting on Harwood's recent forecourt extension may be a factor.
Harwood's section of the Park remains a problem. Silting is causing it to become increasingly wet and muddy and the path can no longer be used. Construction of a boardwalk or causeway would involve cost and labour on a scale which could only be justified if there was to be a substantial extension to the current lease. The deliberate creation of a 'swamp' area probably remains the most sensible objective, but this is only feasible in those places where the tree canopy is not too dense.
Finally, I would remind members that we have a secure notice board on site, which can be used by anyone wishing to display material relating to wildlife or conservation in the Pulborough area.
