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Work continues on the recovery and maintenance of
the Conservation Area, with significant contributions from local
residents, Science Park employees, University staff and students and
the occasional passing enthusiast.
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Further work has
been carried out to remove regenerating birch and willow from
around the main pond, in order to let in more light and improve
productivity.
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Unfortunately, the
pond has sprung a leak and we are now working with the
University Estates Department to identify a cost-effective way
of stopping the leak.
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The Conservation
Area leaflet has proved to be very popular. It is available from
Chilworth Manor and helps visitors to navigate the paths, which
have been marked with colour-coded posts.
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The orchard behind
Chilworth Manor has been cleared of several cherry trees which
were infected with Honey Fungus and the gaps replanted with old
apple varieties.
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We continue to mow
the Orchard and the Ecology Meadow, with the cuttings being
removed to reduce fertility and promote diversity of flowering
plants.
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The dipping platform
for use by schools carrying out ecology field work, which was
paid for with a grant from the University of Southampton, has
now been completed and will be used extensively over the next
few months.
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The recent gales
resulted in several significant losses of whole trees or major
limbs and the Southampton University Conservation Volunteers,
together with local chainsaw enthusiasts, have put in sterling
work to clear up the mess.
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Now that work on the
access road to Benham Campus has begun, it has been necessary to
close the permissive bridle path along the edge of Home Copse
for the duration of the work, expected to be to the end of May.
We hope that this closure does not cause too much inconvenience
to local horse enthusiasts.
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