Local volunteers help to thin out the vigorous plant growth around Milbourne Pond in Weston Green  

Last Saturday (23 October) the RA organised a cutting-back morning around Milbourne Pond to tame the vigorous plant growth that threatened to obscure the pond completely if left unchecked. We are very grateful to the local residents who set to work for a couple of hours, hacking back the overgrowth to make the area much more open.

Such cutting back has been a regular event over the years, but this is the first time since the pond was reprofiled back in 2018. We were pleased to see the vegetation recover so well after such major earthworks, but in the three years since, pussy willow and brambles had proliferated, dominating the vegetation around the pond. These have now been cut back to allow other plants, including wildflowers, to thrive. Crowded small saplings of other species were also removed, and larger trees lightly trimmed, to leave a tree border with viewing gaps.

The pond area is now more accessible for all to enjoy, especially now with the recent addition of the two hardwood benches close to the pond.