I have to say that in my view the New Hide is not as bad by any means as one might think from listening to the reports on this forum! I have been in it today and can honestly say its absolutely fine - in fact it seems great! It is strong, safe, sturdy, spacious, easy to access, comfortable, warm, draught proof etc etc! Yes there will be issues for certain people but on the whole I think the WWT have done a good job in getting it built, although its construction took a long time to complete I must admit!
Having stayed away from UW for some weeks due to this and the fact that there didn't appear to be much about I was shocked at the desolation that has taken place since my last visit! Scrub Management - I don't understand it if I was honest but surely it has now gone too far? Why not drop a nuclear bomb on the place - it would hardly be more effective! OK perhaps I am uneducated in these matters but why not curtail the work parties now for the breeding season at least and let the place go back to a natural state? It seems to me that the working parties are destroying the place? You may mean well but have you looked at it recently? Someone must be stocking up on logs for the winter from what I and others can see? I just can't see the justification in what has been and is being done as we speak! Can someone please explain why in simple terms for me and others who are confused? I have spoken to a number of members today and expressed my concerns - most of them agree with me! What do other members think?
Far from it - the work parties are rejuvinating Upton Warren. They will stop (as they always have done) in time for the breeding season but in the meantime they play a vital role in providing a diverse habitat targeting certain species under pressure. The breeding surveys undertaken last year speak for themselves, I am sure John can break out the stats if you want. Suffice to say that Willow Warbler, a bird lost to the reserve as a breeding species since the earlier 2000s, made a strong comeback and other warbler (incl Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat etc) all performed well.
As John has alluded to earlier, if we did nothing the reeds would march in, followed by the willows and the whole thing woud soon be a wood, of which there are plenty in Worcestershire. The work is focused on supporting what makes Upton unique. Whilst the scrub management (and its called
management for a reason) may appear brutal at first glance, it is the only way to achieve change. I will be the first to admit that we have spent several years not engaging in work in several areas of the reserve through efforts being diverted elsewhere but we now have to play catch-up and we cant tinker around the edges.
Much of the work undertaken at the Moors Pool, where I imagine you are focusing for criticism, is taking it back to where is was 20 odd years ago (John was kind enough to post a series of images a few weeks back). It was never envisaged to have a huge screening woodland opposite Lifestyles and the recent works have taken it back to what was desired in the first place. Unfortunately much of the growth at Upton gets very leggy very quickly, resulting in shading out, little ground vegetation and very tall growth of little use to birds for either nesting or feeding. The thinning out of the trees and creation of dead hedges will not only promote lateral growth but also new bramble patches which will benefit small mammals, butterflies etc as well as breeding birds. Judge it not by what the area looks like now but what it is producing in say 15 months time. The fact that we have worked hand in hand with the Trust on this project demonstrates that they endorse the scrub management work. We have even put signs up around the reserve explaining why this work has been undertaken.
The work undertaken on the reserve by volunteers is founded on detailed research on what methods have been used on other reserves, books and ecology / conversation studies by the RSPB, Natural England and other such bodies, and by detailed observations over many years, both of the birds and how they use the reserve but also of nature's reaction to works we have done in the past.
Like John I am immensely proud of the work parties and what they have achieved over the years and I almost there was a paralell universe so I could demonstrate what the area would be like otherwise. the volunteer pool has now grown to 60 odd (well some of them are!) individuals, but individuals who make up a team. I know if I picked up the phone to call an emergency work party or some overnight wardening or policing a rarity most would respond at the drop of a hat.
Enough breast-beating, I feel like reinstating UPTON-TILL-I-DIE. GRRRRRR!
PS Is that a suggestion thrown in that the works are being driven from a personal gain from cut wood?! Over the years the organisers of the work party have invested many many hours and ££££ of their own money in keeping the work parties in refreshments, petrol, cable ties etc etc. We do it cos we love the place and are trying to do the right thing for it. Simples