After all the talking and planning to get the Ulleskelf Wildlife Group (UWG) established it was time for us to get working. Our first project, meadow verge planting, was both a ‘let’s see if we can do this’ and a ‘here we are’ venture in one. The idea was seen as doable within the available skill set of the group, which thankfully includes people with far more idea and relevant experience than me, and as a ‘shop window’ advertising the group to the community and hopefully attracting further members.

Lesson 1. Never let lack of personal skill or experience get in the way of your enthusiasm…. call on team member skill sets and knowledge to cover the gaps in your own CV.

Three verge sites had been selected for the project. With permission of the owners, Intake Farm, NYCC and the Fielden Estate respectively, and following an initial recce with Jo and Georgia from Team Wilder, several wildflower plant species were selected to augment site biodiversity. These were chosen as species that would be anticipated to be represented in lowland meadow sites and for their value to pollinating insects.

Lesson 2. Obtain relevant permissions for the work. 

Lesson 3. Take advice from the Team Wilder/YWT staff

Very usefully, and particularly so as we were slightly late in getting spades into the ground, we had support of a local nursery, Eastfield Nursery, who had been growing wildflower plant plugs for us so that these were at around six-weeks post germination at the time we were planting.

Lesson 4. Ask for help from local companies with relevant expertise

In true British fashion the weather was against us for the work as we hit the May heatwave creating issues for both for working and for plug survival. Running the groups in the morning and early evening and sometimes shortening event times helped with the former and hastily constructed daily watering schedules dealt with the latter.

Lesson 5. Be flexible and responsive to circumstance 

Two of the verges were situated alongside relatively busy roads. To mitigate the risk, working schedules were organised to avoid peak traffic flow and a warning sign was put in place before the site. Work was done facing into the direction of traffic flow and a 1.2-metre-wide safety zone on the verge side closest to the road was established in accordance with NYCC guidance. One person was also placed ‘on watch’ for the group.

Lesson 6. Be mindful of group safety

The sight of people working on the verges around the village did create some interest from passers-by and resulted in two new recruits to the group.

Lesson 7. Take group information and registration paperwork to working sites

Recognising that people passing verges on which the group had recently been working would wonder what was happening, all verges had signs erected detailing the work that had been done, by who, and its purpose. 

Lesson 8. Be visible to and communicate with your community.

Lastly, the shared endeavour of the group really drove the work forward. Prior to joining the UWG, members had not worked together and their ability to rapidly settle into a functioning team, to share knowledge and experience and to deliver a project was great to see.

Lesson 9. It’s a team game.

Lesson 10. Being ‘clever together’ is the way to successfully deliver projects.

In due course we will return to the verges to maintain them and perform further planting/seeding, hoping that we eventually deliver more wildlife friendly and sustaining habitats, not to mention more visually pleasing and interesting ones for village residents.

Now for the next project…..

Brendan Clark

Team Wilder Community Champion

Ulleskelf Wildlife Group