Woodland Conservation Group - Fridays

Friday, 15 August 2025

Hotel Field

Another scorching hot day in London so it was no trouble at all deciding to return for a fourth time to the shady pathways surrounding Hotel Field. Despite the intense heat, 17 volunteers arrived and, between us, we clocked up a total of 49 hours.

Having spotted a couple of ‘slasher tools’ in the back of the storage shed, (like a scythe on a long handle), we seized the possibility of improving the speed (and volume) of our bramble removal.  Unfortunately, they were rather blunt!  Not a problem for our very capable volunteers as someone sat in the shade and sharpened them.  What a difference!  However, our chances of slashing down the brambles in record speed were much reduced when one handle almost immediately snapped off on first use!  It was back to loppers for someone.

Sharpening the 'slasher tool' in a shady spot.

Two groups chose to work on the meadow itself, in two separate areas on opposite sides, one very hardy pair choosing to work in the sunshine, with the others selecting the very pleasant, dappled shade of the tree canopy.  Both groups removed encroaching brambles to rescue more areas of the meadow itself. 

Others worked fully in the shade, recovering the tarmac pathways on the Shooters Hill side from encroaching brambles to help prevent further erosion of the meadow. Also, they cleared the verges and exposed swamped trees and shrubs.  Additionally, more clearance was done to restore the verges close to where two Japanese Zelkova trees can be seen, at the top of Oxleas Wood - probably planted in the gardens of the house which once stood there.

Last but not least, a couple of others took on the job of loading the barrows with pulled/cut material and removing it to a discrete area where it can rot down and replenish the woodland floor with vital nutrients. Nothing in the woodlands goes to waste.

Nothing is wasted - the pulled vegetation will be left to rot down nearby.

A highly successful day, considering the heat, and we cannot thank the volunteers enough.  We will be back again but… hopefully, on a cooler day!