FOREST LEAVES-SPRING 2021
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FOREST LEAVES—SPRING 2021
The Newsletter of the Epping Forest Conservation Volunteers
Please send any comments or contributions to the editor, Mark Solomons, at msolomons@msn.com
To see this newsletter online and in full colour, visit http://www.efcv.co.uk
The website also provides more information on tasks and events, campaigns and forest news.
For information regarding EFCV contact Brian McGhie (01992 573514) or Kevin Mason (020 8529 9273)/EFCV2@yahoo.co.uk
Cover pic: Kingfisher at Connaught Water by Nick Williams
I began our newsletter this time last year wishing you A 150-page Epping Forest and buffer lands deer man-
all a happy 2020. The year turned out to be an annus agement strategy review was published early last
horribilis, but I hope we can all stay healthy and re- year, and it is a long read! To summarise, there will be
sume working for the benefit of nature in Epping For- humane management of wild deer in the forest and
est as soon as possible. Judging from the state of buffer lands with close and regular monitoring of fal-
most paths in the forest, we may be up to our knees low and muntjac populations. The CoL wishes to en-
in mud, but shall carry on regardless, just like the Car- sure that fallow deer remain in the Epping landscape
ry On team circa 1961! in perpetuity as part of the forest environment.
Muntjac may not be so lucky! The deer sanctuary at
Mud, mud, glorious mud is one of the results of in-
Birch Hall will remain in its current form and usage for
creased footfall within the forest, as I am sure most of
the time being.
you have discovered for yourselves during your daily
exercise. I have been reliably informed during the We are constantly told that Britain needs more trees.
first lockdown that footfall in the forest increased by The government has set a target to increase tree cov-
300%. No doubt increased use of Epping Forest and er by 30,000ha a year from 2025. Who will grow these
its environs is here to stay. I hope nature will not pay. trees, where will they come from and will they be na-
If anyone goes to Connaught Water for a walk, make tive species? Who is going to plant them and where
will all these thousands of trees be planted? “Tree
sure you wear wellingtons. Part of the southern sec-
cover” can include anything from eucalyptus planta-
tion of what was once a nice new path has been un-
tions in Spain to Sitka spruce in Scotland.
der water most of this wet winter. The banks of the
lake are a muddy assault course. One compensation This unrealistic (in my opinion) planting target must
of our wet winter is the topping up of ponds and bogs not be achieved by poor Environment Impact Assess-
within the forest which have generally suffered in re- ments or mistakes made by the Forestry Commission
cent very dry summers. Good news for amphibians? and other organisations allowing trees, particularly
Let us hope so. conifers, to be planted on valuable wildlife sites.
Obviously, I took myself off to Connaught Waters, well Peatlands/bogs are important from a climate and bio-
I got bored birdwatching out of the kitchen window diversity view. It is unfortunate that the FC admitted
and wanted to see some mandarin ducks. I did see a a blunder in allowing 25ha of commercial trees
couple and a pair of goosanders as a bonus. Bird- (conifers, what else?) to be planted on a 4,000-year-
watching, which is a form of “exercise” of course, can old peat bog in Cumbria last year. This required
be done locally, without breaking any lockdown ad- ploughing and drainage ditches that dry the peat out,
vice/rules. I have exercised around Gernon Bushes releasing carbon that would otherwise stay locked in
and Swaines Green as a member of the public, not as the ground. Not a good example for encouraging bio-
a volunteer, which is absolutely not allowed. diversity and combating climate change!
Talking of Swaines Green, the extra two well attended Planting trees in and around Epping Forest would not
tasks in November by EFCV and locals did marvellous be any use, the deer would eat them all!
shrub clearance work on Lower Lincolns Field that
Brian McGhie
would have taken the Swaines Green volunteer group
several Sundays to accomplish. I want to personally
thank everyone who turned up on the two days and
hope to see old and new Swaines Green volunteers
when countryside (urban fringe) conservation re-
sumes.
Even in dark times, the forest provides wonderful colour and never more so than the fungi we get each autumn. Photo- graphed by Spencer Cleminson we have, immediately above, stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus). Left, from top to bottom, tur- key tail (Trametes versicolor), common bonnet (Mycene gala- riculata) and oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus). Bottom left is fly ag- aric (Amanita muscaria) and bottom right, porcelain (Oudemansiella mucida).
THE GREEN, GREEN GRASS...OF MANOR PARK
Peter Smith reports on how Manor Park Flats is being transformed back into a green space.
The grass will be greener once a restoration project is completed on Manor Park Flats. This area,
which is the most southerly part of the forest, is a triangle of heathland flanked by City of London
Cemetery, Great Eastern Railway and Forest Drive which separates it from the rest of Wanstead Flats.
Unlike its neighbouring grassland, it has never been groomed for use as playing fields. However, its
proximity to heavily populated
areas of East London means
that it has been requisitioned
during national crises. In the
First World War parts of it were
converted to allotments, and in
1944 it was a holding area for D
-Day troops. Last year it be-
came the site of a temporary
mortuary to assist with the
Covid-19 emergency. The dis-
mantled mortuary left the
ground parched and bare. Above: Ploughing after the removal of the temporary mortuary
The Conservators harrowed the ground and started reseeding the area in September.
The plan is to restore this acid grassland site but with a greater diversity of plants to achieve a wild-
flower meadow. Ten per cent of London’s remaining acid grassland and heath is in Wanstead and on
Leyton Flats. A quarter of the seeds came from locally mown brush areas on the west side of Wan-
stead Flats. Other seeds have come from hay cut in the buffer lands to the north of the forest. The
WREN Group has worked closely with the Ecology Team and will plant wildflower plugs in the Spring.
Among the seeds and plants are native wildflowers which have declined or been lost from the area
during the last century. They include lady’s bedstraw, marjoram, self-heal, fescue, heather, ox-eye
daisy, and bent grasses.
These plants are adapted to
the dry gravel soil conditions
on the Flats. The area will be
protected by fencing until
the summer. Fortunately, it
is not crossed by any main
paths or tracks but one trail
runs along its edge.
Left: The fenced off area
which has been reseeded.
CAR PARKING CHARGES TO BE INTRODUCED TO EPPING FOREST With news that visitors may soon have to pay to park in the forest, Tricia Moxey examines the eco- nomic and other reasons behind the decision and what it might mean for volunteers. There are more than 50 car parks within Epping Forest providing spaces for nearly 950 vehicles. A 2019 survey showed that 53 % of the forest’s 4.2 million annual visitors arrived by car. During 2020 the lockdown restrictions saw the figure rise to about 12 million visitors resulting in competition for parking spaces and damage to roadside verges. Many of these visitors have little idea of who manages the forest and the costs incurred. The City of London funds the management of the forest from its private funds and the budget forecast for 2021- 22 is £6.88 million, a 12% decrease from last year. However, management costs will rise with increas- ing visitor pressure and additional revenue streams must be found to continue to improve the visitor experiences and the costs of removing discarded litter. To help reduce the carbon footprint and mitigate climate change visitors are being encouraged to visit the forest on foot or bike and the recently refurbished car parks now include cycle racks. Installing more racks would be possible using revenue raised from car park charges. The issue of charging to park has been discussed in recent years and this January the Epping Forest and Commons Committee agreed to tariffs, which it is anticipated will generate sufficient income to offset the significant cost of continuing to provide the car parks. This brings the forest into line with many other green space providers who charge for visitor parking as an income stream. Charging to park in the forest will help reduce the impact of non-forest users such as commuters, thus freeing up space for genuine users. The introduction of car park charging can also play a role in promoting modal shift to other forms of transport by reducing reliance on cars to access Epping Forest, so fewer vehicle movements should have a positive impact on carbon emissions and air quality by reducing exhaust pollutants. The following tariffs will initially be introduced at selected car parks, but these charges will be re- viewed on an annual basis. • £1.50 up to 1 hour • £2.50 up to 2 hours • £4.00 2 – 4 hours • £6.00 Full Day (up to 6 hours) Blue badge users will receive free parking for a capped number of hours. Further discussions and consultation with the forest users about the implementation of proposals will take place soon and will include possible concessions for volunteers who contribute to management tasks within the forest.
THE END OF THE ROAD FOR RHODODENDRON
In Victorian times rhododendron was one of the most popular bushes for planting in landscaped gardens.
Peter Smith reports on why it isn’t a favourite in the forest! Unfortunately, by the 1990s it had become the
favourite host for two fungus-like (Oomycete) organisms which are airborne and are notifiable plant patho-
gens. One of these organisms (Phytophthora ramorum) started to cause the widespread death of oak spe-
cies in coastal California and Oregon. The disease was given the common name of “sudden oak death”. It
was first identified in the UK in 2002, mainly in nursery rhododendron pot plants, but also viburnum and ca-
mellia. There have now been many outbreaks in gardens traced to Rhododendron ponticum – the common
variety with big mauve flowers.
Until 2009 the threats to UK trees were scarce with beech and sweet chestnut appearing most susceptible.
Then there were large outbreaks amongst larch on SW-facing coastal areas in England, Wales and Scot-
land. The fungus reproduced rapidly on larch and thousands of hectares of larch have been felled. The or-
ganism favours wet or humid conditions and may also spread in water, on footwear, tyres and animals. The
basic message is to keep rhododendron and larch away from our best loved deciduous trees.
In the forest there was no natural mixing between these plants. Problems arose where domestic gardens
border woodland or parkland is reincorporated into the forest, such as Oak Hill, Wanstead Park and
Knighton Woods and at the City of London Cemetery which was established and landscaped at the height
of Victorian era and borders the forest on three sides. Over the last few years there has been a programme
to remove rhododendron from these parts. There is clearance work now at the Cemetery and we have done
two recent clearance tasks at Oak Hill {Below: Spencer clearing Oak Hill. Pictured by Peter Smith.)
Oak Hill was part of Epping Forest until 1842 when the greedy and uncompromising lord of the manor at
Theydon Bois enclosed it so that he could build himself a bigger house. By 1857 he enclosed all the Forest
waste in the parish. The Epping Forest Act 1878 established that these and many other enclosures were
illegal. Most enclosures were requisitioned and returned to the Forest but Oak Hill just fell outside the retro-
spective enforcement period for the Act. This meant he was able to start laying out his garden with rhodo-
dendrons and plan the main residence near Coppice Row. By then, various benefactors were offering to
purchase these former areas of forest land for return to common use. The Buxton family, from Buckhurst
Hill, bought the14.5 acres at Oak Hill and rededicated it to the Forest. EFCV are now finishing the job 140
years later by removing the last signs of the garden from a beautiful beech wood. The profusion of rhodo-
dendron roots, running significant distances just under the surface, will require us to go back occasionally to
tidy up a dwindling number of rejuvenated plants.
WEIL’S DISEASE: A REMINDER
Weil’s disease is an acute, severe form of leptospirosis and is contracted from the urine of infected rats.
Kevin Mason explains the causes, symptoms and measures to prevent or treat it.
A bacterium enters the body through breaks in the skin such as cuts, blisters and abrasions, or via the lining of the
nose, throat or alimentary tract.
The incubation period is 7-13 days and the disease starts with a fever, muscular aches and pains, loss of appetite and
vomiting. Subsequent bruising of the skin, sore eyes, nose bleeds and jaundice may occur. The fever lasts about five
days and may be followed by significant deterioration.
Weil’s Disease is tricky to detect and doctors in urban areas may not have encountered it so it is a good idea to tell
the doctor that you may have the symptoms and that you have been in contact with a source of infection.
The symptoms can easily be mis-
taken for those of flu, and the pos-
sibility of Weil's Disease may be
overlooked in the early stages. La-
boratory testing of blood will con-
firm the diagnosis but this may
take undue time in an ordinary
hospital lab so send them direct to
the rare and imported pathogens
laboratory (RIPL), Public Health
England, Manor Farm Road, Porton
Down, Wiltshire, SP4 0JG. Email
ripl@phe.gov.uk or telephone
01980 612348 (office hours.)
Treatment is usually by penicillin
antibiotic.
The risk of infection and disease can be minimised by the following:
• Wear protective clothing like gloves
• Cover all cuts and abrasions with waterproof dressings and/or gloves before working near water
• Follow good basic hygiene such as regular hand-washing, particularly before eating, drinking or smoking
• Take rest breaks, including meals and drinks, away from the work area
• Wash any cuts, grazes, abrasions etc sustained during work immediately with soap and clean running water
and apply antiseptic
• Take steps to avoid the inhalation of water spray and avoid allowing spray to come into contact with eyes
• Inform a doctor if they become ill after working by water. ·
For further information about leptospirosis please visit the HSE website https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/
healthrisks/hazardous-substances/harmful-micro-organisms/leptospirosis-weils-disease.htm
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
SUMMARY OF TASKS - 1st November to 13th December, 2020
Sunday, 1st November, Sunshine Plain
Peter Smith & Spencer Cleminson (14 volunteers) Tuesday, 2nd December, Swaines Green
The third in a series of tasks to clear tree regeneration on Brian McGhie & Neil Redgwell (17)
the heathland. Using mattocks, the whole of the north- Low branches were lopped off the oaks, ash saplings cut
ern section of the plain was cleared of birch and oak re- back along with bramble and blackthorn and some
growth as pictured below, by Peter Smith. brushcutting around the pond.
Sunday, 6th December, Swaines Green
Brian McGhie & Neil Redgwell (15)
A continuation of last week’s work.
Tuesday, 8th December, Oak Hill
Brian McGhie & Spencer Cleminson (13)
Carrying on from work started in October, we
used the new mattocks to pull up rhododen-
dron roots which had been spreading down
the hill alongside Coppice Row.
Sunday, 13th December, Earl’s Path Pond
Kevin Mason & Stephen Ford (15)
A sunny but cold day saw us return to a site
from long ago to clear holly away from the road and also
Sunday, 8th November, Swaines Green Middle Field
away from mature beech and oak pollards. The site is
Brian McGhie & Neil Redgwell (11)
much clearer now as you can see from the before and
The main footpath was widened by cutting away at
after photos below but there is still a lot of holly to re-
bramble, nettles, long grass and dogwood saplings while
move.
felling small blackthorn and coppicing hazel.
*Photographs by Peter Smith
Tuesday, 10th November, Sunshine Plain
Spencer Cleminson & Patrick Milne (18)
Invasive trees growing among the heather were
remove by their roots either by hand or with
mattocks and forks.
Sunday, 15th November, The Stubbles
Peter Smith & Stephen Ford (14)
Bramble and tree growth were cleared from the
anthills as well as from under the mature tree
canopy in the centre of the plain and young oaks
sawn at waist height.
Sunday, 22nd November, Fairmead
Brian McGhie and Neil Redgwell (21)
The bracken and bramble next to the ponds
were cut, two poplar hybrids felled along with
two young turkey oaks and a dead hedge built
near the bridleway.
Sunday, 29th November, Deershelter Plain
Kevin Mason & John Skerry (15)
Continuing the rained-off October task, birch re-
growth on the heather scrape was dug up leav-
ing time to remove the holly growing close to
beech and oak pollards.
EFCV NOTICEBOARD
A s many of you will notice, there are no
pub nights or other events to put on the
noticeboard at the moment because of the cur- I
EPIPENS
f anyone uses an ‘EpiPen’ please can you let
the task leader know and bring a spare with
rent restrictions. you.
This means there are not many previous tasks TETANUS
T
to tell you about nor any future ones to plan he soil in the forest can harbour tetanus
for, at least until we get back to some kind of and it is therefore in everyone’s interests to
normality. ensure that their anti-tetanus inoculation is up
We ask that you keep an eye on emails about to date.
what’s going on generally and if and when we
can go back to carrying out tasks. EDITOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Just in case that happens, we’ll updates the
guidelines and protocols if necessary. For now, T hank you to Spencer Cleminson for all his
help, guidance and contributions, to Kevin
we’re leaving the advice below as a reference Mason, Peter Smith, Tricia Moxey and Brian
should we be allowed back out for tasks. McGhie for words and pictures used in this edi-
tion as well as local resident Nick Williams who
Stay safe everyone and watch this space!
gave us permission to use his kingfisher picture,
--------------------------------------------------------------- to Mark Dewell for putting this online and to
Due to Covid-19 we are no longer asking volun- everyone else who helps. Please keep sending
teers to meet at the Warren. Please see the pictures and articles. Comments welcome.
protocols and guidelines printed in our previ-
ous newsletter for details. The leaders will EFCV COMMITTEE MEMBERS/TASK LEADERS
leave the Warren at 9.45am to go to that day’s Contact details for task leaders & committee
site. It is essential that anyone wishing to members:
attend a task contacts the leader in advance so Spencer Cleminson 07748 530467
John Fisher 07463 763529
we can bring enough tools and equipment for
Steve Ford 07918 161941
everyone. Wear old clothes and sturdy boots Kevin Mason (treasurer) 07946 520652
(preferably reinforced), and bring refresh- Brian McGhie (chairman) 07811 369983
ments. Gloves can be provided if requested Ruth Moore (secretary) 07852 668633
from the leader when phoning to confirm Neil Redgwell 07873 219207
attendance. On Sundays, tasks will finish at Mark Solomons 07710 907234
Peter Smith 0208 989 9890
around 3pm; mid-week tasks tend to finish a
Peter Vaughan 0208 590 0879
little earlier. Please advise task leaders of any
For contributions, comments or questions
medical conditions, including allergies, of about the newsletter, please email me, Mark
which they should be aware. Solomons, at msolomons@msn.com
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