2010 was the first complete year for Friends of Chipperfield Common. Long before Mr Cameron was talking about the ‘big society’, parish residents and Borough Council were happily working in partnership to complete a variety of projects on the Common.
We finished work on trees at Pill Pond although we still haven’t got a good water supply so the pond remains seasonal. Opposite the Windmill we first restored an area of gorse then, after a resident pointed out that there used to be a clearing nearby, we restored the glade entrance to the woods just behind the gorse bushes. Frog Pond is the least known of the five ponds and had become hidden by a hedge and brambles. We relaid the hedge and cleared out the pond which was becoming choked with weeds; this little gem is situated just north west of the Manor House. Nearly everything is achieved with high quality hand tools. If you prefer a more leisurely approach we spent two evenings listening to bats by Apostles pond using a bat detector that picks up and amplifies the ‘echolocation calls’ of bats. We will do this again and extend a more general invitation to Chipperfield residents.
If you would like to join, please contact:
vanessa.johnson@dacorum.gov.uk or call 01442 228844