A bright, sunny morning with a blustery wind saw a dozen Wren volunteers clearing bramble scrub in the Exchange Lands, between the River Roding and the City of London Cemetery. We do this activity every year to maintain the balance between grassland and scrub in the area. Both habitats are important habitats for insects and birds, but left unmanaged the whole area would become covered with brambles and we would lose the grassland wildflowers, several butterfly and moth species and birds such as Green Woodpecker. This was the last weekend practical work of the winter; birds are now starting to nest and we want to avoid disturbance.
Tim Harris, 1 March 2015