Volunteers restored native forest during the event
The final Lake District fell care day of the year saw walls and fences restored and 180 pieces of cake demolished by volunteers and staff.
The Friends of the Lake District event in the Duddon Valley involved 91 people, working to restore and improve the landscape on a range of projects.
Among achievements during last week’s mass-volunteering event were:
- Planting of 500 native alder, aspen, rowan and hawthorn trees\
- Removal of 400 non-native sitka spruce and western hemlock
- Rebuilding 5m of wall and a hog hole
- Restoration of 400m of riverside fencing
- Construction of a footbridge and two water gates
- A total of 16km of upland paths cleared and maintained
- Completion of six tree cages
- Three drains dug out
- Vegetation along 100m of forest footpath cleared.
The volunteers and staff from the Friends also collected a bag of litter.
Ruth Kirk, organiser of the event said: “It was truly rewarding to see so many happy, tired, smiling, mud-streaked faces at the end of day sharing tales over a brew and a slice of cake – or three.
“Our fell care days bring together people of all ages and abilities from near and far, all with a shared purpose to put something back into protecting a landscape they love.
“Between them they completed 487 hours of work in just one day, the equivalent of 70 days’ work. We’d like to say a massive well done and thank you to everyone who took part.”
The National Trust, Lake District National Park Authority, Forestry Commission, Restoring Hardknott Forest Project and Fix the Fells all supported the event, and cake to fuel the volunteers was donated by Ginger Bakers and David Willan Fine Foods from Kendal.
The Friends of the Lake District said they will stage more fell care days in 2019.
