November 2008

Welcome …

Friends Membership - We now have 170 households as members.  Our thanks to all of you who have joined.  Please encourage your friends and neighbours to join too and help us make a difference. They can print a form off our website  or ring 01582 622771.

What’s Happening on the Nickey Line:

Tree works – We funded the extraction of 3 large sycamores at Thumpers in Dacorum where the local Thumpers residents association want to improve the access and plant wild flowers.  Work is in progress to remove many Sycamore saplings (and larger) along the line to prevent them from taking over much of the woody sections.  We are working with Countryside Management Service (CMS) on planting up to 100 new trees along the Line to fill in gaps and add variety,

M1 – The tunnel is still closed – internal tunnel lights have been fitted but final painting and surface finishing has been delayed. We are told it should re-open shortly – keep an eye on the News items on our website www.nickeyline.org. 

Harpenden Luton Road steps closure – These are officially closed on safety grounds after failing a Council health & safety check. Obviously we are keen to see them re-open as soon as possible – and in less time than the Ambrose Lane steps.

Redbourn flowers  - We seeded exposed chalk at Redbourn with a grass/wildflower mix specifically for chalk/limestone soils. Some of the wildflowers in the mix which you might recognise next year are cowslip, knapweed, kidney vetch, field scabious, birdsfoot trefoil.

Hemel Hempstead  - Lots of work done over the summer particularly by Countryside Management Service - litter picking (by the Probation Service unpaid workers), path widening, cleaning and cutting vegetation to steps from Midland Road, path improvement and a motorcycle barrier installed at Thumpers,
surface work at Saturn Way, surface scrape/clean under Solway Bridge.  The surface works were funded by our Big Lottery Fund grant following an application from us for change of use of some of the grant.

Knott Wood – More work is in progress to open up views towards Redbourn / the north. (See Improving the Nickey Line item below)

Big Lottery Breathing Spaces Grants – These have been fully spent and signed off by the Big Lottery Fund. The grants were used for tree management works and other items mentioned in this newsletter.

New Website – See our new website at www.nickeyline.org. It was funded by the Big Lottery Fund and produced at a special low cost by local Hertfordshire web design and SEO company Net Commerce Solutions (www.net-commerce-solutions.co.uk). Many thanks to both organisations!

It has lots of extra information, photo galleries and a picture of the month on the home page amongst other goodies.  So, why not take a look and then make a contribution?

Your Nickey Line Stories and Photos – *** Please send us your favourite stories and pictures of the Nickey Line for publication on our new website.  We are also planning a children’s section*** 

(Please email / send us digital copy and images if you can. If you  send us a hard copy photo please put your name and address / phone number on the back so we know whose it is and can return it to you. Also tell us what it is of!)

New Interpretation Board – We have received a ‘proof’ copy  which looked very attractive and await the final version. It covers wildlife topics and we plan to install it near Knott Wood.  See the proof on the website!

New Tools – We have bought over £500 of new tools for our volunteer working parties. Over half the funds came from our Big Lottery grant.

Fungal Foray  22nd October - Every place was taken for this eagerly awaited Foray by the county’s fungal recorder, Alan Outen, who gave a most entertaining explanation of the numerous fungi which were handed to him for identification. Fears that the Nickey Line might not have had many fungi were soon dispelled, and despite many of the fungi examined looking fairly similar, most of them turned out to be different from previous samples handled!  See the full website report….

Improving the Nickey Line

The Nickey Line is tree lined for nearly the whole length, but the section opposite Knott Wood near Harpenden was opened up 30 months ago when trees were removed to avoid them snagging the overhead power lines. Tremendous views were opened up over the Ver valley, but these are fast disappearing as brambles and coppiced trees re-grow.

We have decided to try and manage this area actively to preserve the views and benefit the wildlife. Botanically this is probably the best part of the entire path (a bee orchid was discovered here this year). CMS have recently helped us clear two scalloped areas to open up the views. Kestrel, buzzards and a brimstone butterfly were seen during this work, while two pairs of barn owls nest nearby.

We wish to recruit a pool of midweek and weekend conservation volunteers. Can you help? Contact Roger (01582 763560) if you can.

Events – What do you want?

We have run a number of events over the past two years - including a walk on the history of the line, themed walks on bird watching, flowers and trees, cycle rides, recreational walks, and a dawn chorus. Support has been variable despite our walks leaders being excellent and extremely knowledgeable. Many members (Yes, that could mean you..) have been invisible since joining the Friends.

What do you want from the Friends? We would much appreciate your views, and welcome your input on how we should go forward. And joining in some of our events too – they are well worth the effort!

EVENTS PLANNED – Dates for Your Diary – Contact 01582 622771 for details:

Work Party Tuesday 18 November: Join our work party on the Nickey Line by Knott Wood to cut and clear areas up to the fence line to benefit wildlife and to open up magnificent views of the Ver Valley. Bring refreshments, boots or wellies, and wear old clothes - we will be burning the removed vegetation on site. Contact Roger 01582 763560 for details
NB More work parties  are  planned – Watch the  website  - or why not register your interest with us and then we shall  email you  with details when we have them

Rothamsted Walk  28th December:  Why not walk off those seasonal excesses by joining the Friends on a moderately brisk circular walk of approx 3 miles, on Sunday morning 28th December, across the Rothamsted estate (including the Manor House grounds) and along part of the old rail line between Harpenden and HH.  The party will be led by Doug Nevell,  LEAVING the Rothamsted Park (swimming pool) car park at 10-30 a.m. and take approx 1 1/2 hours.  Wrap up to suit the weather and wear stout shoes for the field edge sections.   Everyone welcome; no charge.