After a longer than anticipated break for Christmas, CROW finally completed its first task of the year with a visit to Paices Wood, Aldermaston on the 27th January.

In fact no break was planned but the previous five tasks had either been cancelled or abandoned because of rain or snow, the longest period without a CROW task for a number of years (possibly ever).

The bright but chilly weather made for an excellent day coppicing and if anyone was feeling cold the bonfire and baked potatoes soon resolved the problem.

Many thanks to everyone who joined us - fourteen volunteers together with Sarah the WBC Countryside Ranger, Vicky from the Pang Valley Countryside Project  (who kindly provided the potatoes) and not forgetting Reggie, Sarah's dog.

Despite the continuing cold weather there was no further snow to prevent the gorse clearance at Wokefield Common on the 3rd February, and for a second week a bonfire helped offset the effects of wind-chill.

With the Countryside Ranger absent, basking in the sunshine (we assume) of the Australian late summer, the team was left to its own devices. But this was CROW and the lack of management no reason for not attacking the task with our usual vigour. By the end of day about 95% of the gorse in the area in which we were working was cut and burnt.

On the 10th February CROW returned to Clayfield Copse to continue the coppicing started one snowy day last December on what was to prove to be the group's last task of 2009.

This visit proved no less cold with a biting northerly wind however a group of plucky children from Caversham Park Primary School braved the conditions to join us to plant two wild pears.

CROW will be returning to the site which is along an ancient boundary bank, later in the year to complete the coppicing.

Subsequent weeks:

February 17th Wokefield Common - Gorse Clearance
February 24th Rushall Farm - Hedge Laying