As outlined in the last PPAA Committee meeting Minutes, it was proposed to crown lift the mature hawthorns and other trees forming the historic PPA hedge, and to use the pruned material to form a rough-laid, dry hedge, beside the now-dilapidated wire netting fence. This would offer an immediate and major improvement to site security, notably at the point where the criminals, apparently responsible for the recent arson at Riverside Community Gardens, entered.
This would also provide a substrate for brambles and for other useful defensive subjects to colonise, and their growth would be markedly accelerated by the greatly increased light then available to them. Volunteers would also plant further thorny, hedging-suitable items to grow beside this. Although there are already quite a few growing freely, bramble seeds would also be sown along the length of the whole, so as to engender the extension of the impenetrable thicket – presently adjoining about half of the boundary – to reach the full length of the site. An incidental benefit would be the significant enhancement of wildlife habitat in the vicinity too.
This website’s pleased to report then, that the actions described as proposed in the first paragraph are now complete. (There might remain some minor tidying of possibly unsightly sawn stumps to be done, however.)
The volunteers thank the many plot holders who – on encountering the work in progress – have shown understanding over e.g. delays in vehicle movements, or who’ve expressed support and encouragement to the workers involved.
PPA Website Team
