Volunteer Help

Throughout February LOHP Volunteers were joined by 5 Green Light Trust Volunteers based in Bury St Edmunds. The two teams have come together, teaching each other new skills and getting so much work done it's unbelievable, we nearly ran out of tasks. From cutting back encroaching scrub from around the reedbed and heathland, to laying and planting a hedge, to installing bird and Barn Owl nest boxes - there was something to keep everyone busy. Thank you to everyone for all your hard work, especially to the cake bakers who had to make double the amount!

LOHP Volunteer Conference 2019 - 4th December 2019

On Wednesday 4th December as a change to the normal Wednesday work party we held our annual LOHP Volunteer Conference. With about 40 volunteers attending from all our different volunteering activities, we had to change venues at the last minute to accommodate everyone and luckily Redgrave and Lopham Fen Visitor Centre came to our rescue - thanks for taking us in at short notice.

The morning's event was a variety of different talks covering a range of topics so there was something for everyone. From Otters in Suffolk and on the Little Ouse and a really revealing video, of clips from trail cameras of Otters getting up to all sorts of things; to cute lapwing chicks and how fencing can help them survive predator attacks when on the nest; to finding natural solutions to invasive plant problems. There was of course a selection of cakes for the break. The event was well received so I had better start getting the line up together for next year.

Wildflowers make a come back at New Fen

A wonderful display of wildflowers can be seen on New Fen this year as the fen plants start to make a come back. New Fen had lost its fen habitat as it became colonised by trees, last year we set about removing them with many a volunteer task spent clearing vegetation.

Once the trees were gone a sea of nettles and thistles developed but with careful management these are now making way for some of the once lost fen plants. This is only the beginning we have a long way to go to match Thelnetham Fen next door, but we are well on our way. Next step will be to cut the fen vegetation once it has stopped flowering, this is a big job if you want to come along and lend a hand please get in touch with our Conservation Manager Ellie Beach ellie.beach@lohp.org.uk