Community members on clean-up day – Image by Elsbeth Neil

Twelve Volunteers including 3 enthusiastic children from the Maryburgh Community were once again out last Saturday morning to carry out another clean-up of the core path between Birch Drive and the community woodland.

The Maryburgh Community Woodland Group would like to thank all the willing volunteers who gave up their Saturday morning to help clear the many bushes and beech saplings that have grown over the existing path. This now allows more light into the path area to help with fresh growth and dry up the wet areas. They even started to prune the large rhododendron at the southern end of the woodland path.

 

We know many people are attached to this bush, for its flowers and as a climbing frame! Our aim here is to open up the track to allow future improvements to the path surface and drainage, as well as reducing the overall size of the bush. It will regrow from the pruning cuts we have made.

Did you know that Rhododendron ponticum is the most invasive non-native land plant in Scotland? Each cluster of flowers can produce between 3000 & 7000 tiny seeds. These can travel far on the wind, on muddy boots and paws!

Rhoddy bushes cut out the light from the woodland floor, outcompeting native plants and preventing tree seeds from regenerating. The leaves even contain a chemical which prevents other seeds from germinating in the soil – which is called allelopathy. By reducing the size of this large rhoddy bush we can reduce the amount of seed being produced whilst keeping it as a feature for visitors, young and not-so-young, to enjoy.

Special thanks must be given to the willing members of the Maryburgh Mens Shed, who once again volunteered their help with the woodland. The Group would also like to thank the 3 children and their parents who took part in the clean-up.

Clearing the beech saplings – Image by Gareth Parkinson

The community woodland now belongs to everyone in the village and, not just the Community Woodland group, who volunteer to manage the woodland and improve this amenity for everyone. We are always open to help and suggestions from anyone in the village.