Spent a very pleasant hour recently with a group of volunteers planting trees on Ashton Heath. I am told by Dave McKendrick, Chief Organiser of the event, that the trees planted are hedgerow and they are being planted to hide an unsightly fence as well as improve the local environment. It was great to see so many people out and about improving the environment.
Readers may not be aware that there is a local residents group that has done a lot of work in the past few years to improve Ashton Heath. If you want to get involved you can log on to www.ashtonheath.org.uk and I am sure they will find something for you to do.
7 comments:
Well done to all the volunteers who helped out and thank you Nigel for keeping us up to date on your work as a local councillor.
I look forward to reading your blog in the future.
Ashton Heath is looking really good at one end but a bit overgrown at the other end. Is there a reason why the whole heath could not be mowed?
Thank you for your comment. I have asked Dave McKendrick for a comment which I publish below. I will also be asking Simon Calderbank of Wigan Council for his comments on this subject. Please come back to me if you have any further comments.
I think that it is because not all of the Heath is accessible to equipment within the available budget. In addition, the nature of the heathland varies, and the southern end consists mainly of native heathland grasses and
plants that are fairly low growing. Other areas have been invaded by rosebay,willowherb, bramble, nettles, tree seedlings and tall grasses, which is why
the residents' association has secured the help of the Council to cut the area several times a year in order to promote the native heathland plants and grasses.
Thank you for replying.I should have been more precise in my question.I did not expect the whole of the heath to be mowed. The front section from Blenheim Road to the last house is the area which I had in mind. There is no heather growing there only weeds and high grasses. Yes the heath has been mowed several times but not the area I refer to which was mowed once. I have been asked to remind you that the residents whose houses face this area pay as much(if not more) Council Tax as the residents whose houses face the (regularly) mowed section and yet are receiving an inferior service. If the council wishes to keep within budget they should mow the top end less frequently to subsidise the mowing of the lower end- fairly simple financial management. As far as I can see,therefore,there are no financial or environmental reasons for this lack of service. I would be grateful if you could raise these points with the council.
In answer to the above comments about grass cutting a the lower end of the Heath I have had a meeting with Simon Calderbank of Wigan Council and he has agreed to include this part of the Heath in the grass cutting schedule for next year.You should see the Council strimming that area in the new year to prepare it for regular cutting which will begin in March or April.
Thank you very much for your assistance - the heath will look even better next year. Best wishes.
Strimming started this week - a big improvement already in the appearance of these areas.Thanks again for getting involved in this project - I have been trying for some time (without success)through other channels.
Post a Comment