Hastings Conservation Volunteers

Hastings Conservation Volunteers

Practical nature conservation in Hastings and Rother

If you had bookmarked the site on AOL (http://members.aol.com/hastingscv), please be aware that it was shut down on the 31st October 2008. I have copied the event listing to this site (http://www.simonpbarker.btinternet.co.uk/hastingscv/). Please bookmark this site instead.

Welcome to the minimalist HCV home page. Much of the information on the old web site was getting out-of-date, so I replaced it with this simpler one. However, the old pages are still on-line here.

The Hastings Conservation Volunteers are a small group of people who help to maintain nature reserves and public open spaces in the Hastings and Rother area of East Sussex, England.

We are a BTCV affiliated local group. We do not have any sites of our own, but assist other organisations in the maintenance of their reserves. Our “clients” include the Sussex Wildlife Trust, RSCPA, RSPB, Pett Level Preservation Trust and the Hastings Country Park rangers.

Our work varies from site to site, and also depends on the time of year. Most of our work is aimed at maintaining habitats and improving public access. Typical tasks include:

Cutting down bracken, bramble, rhododendron, willow, or any other plant that is taking over a valuable habitat.
Coppicing trees to encourage regeneration (mostly in the winter).
Keeping paths clear of fallen trees or encroaching vegetation.
Building steps or small bridges to make access easier.

We work most Sundays throughout the year. Meet at 9:30am at Hastings railway station, or around 10:00am at the site. We are usually able to offer a lift from the station, but please check in advance. Work usually ends around 3:30pm, depending on the weather. Tea and Coffee are provided, but volunteers should bring their own lunch. We always welcome new volunteers, and we don't expect people to turn up every week if it's not convenient for them.

For insurance and safety reasons, volunteers should be between 16 and 85, though we may be able to accommodate children under 16 if accompanied by a responsible adult. We recommend that volunteers are up-to-date with Tetanus vaccinations.

For information, please contact me, Simon Barker, by phone on Hastings (01424) 444591, or by e-mail:

(please use a meaningful Subject line as my mail is spam-filtered).

Events programme

I have left a few months' old tasks on-line so you can see what we do. Scroll to the bottom to find the forthcoming tasks. If this programme is out-of-date, I've forgotten to update it, so please contact me.

Events to end of September 2009

All tasks are subject to change without notice. If you are planning to go straight to the site, please phone beforehand to check that the task hasn't changed.

October 2008
5th	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers). Transport from the station may not be available.
12th	Brickwall Deer Park, Northiam. Rhododendron cutting. Transport from the station may not be available.
19th	Wainwright Close, St Leonards. Cutting sallows and building a dead hedge.
26th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Cutting down birch trees to create woodland glades.
November 2008
2nd	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
9th	Marline Valley, Queensway, St Leonards (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Scrub coppicing.
16th	Cliff End, Pett Level (Pett Level Preservation Trust). Blackthorn cutting.
23rd	Brickwall Deer Park, Northiam. Rhododendron cutting. Transport from the station may not be available.
30th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Cutting down birch trees.
December 2008
7th	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
14th	Guestling Wood, Watermill Lane, Guestling (Woodland Trust). Hedgelaying.
21st	Guestling Wood, Watermill Lane, Guestling (Woodland Trust). Hedgelaying.
28th	Possible hedgelaying task, to be confirmed.
January 2009
4th	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
11th	Guestling Wood, Watermill Lane, Guestling (Woodland Trust). Hedgelaying.
18th	Guestling Wood, Watermill Lane, Guestling (Woodland Trust). Hedgelaying.
25th	Beckley Woods, Horseshoe Lane, between Beckley and Udimore. Scrub coppicing alongside Butterfly Conservation. Transport from the station may not be available.
February 2009
1st	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
8th	Guestling Wood, Watermill Lane, Guestling (Woodland Trust). Hedgelaying.
15th	Guestling Wood, Watermill Lane, Guestling (Woodland Trust). Hedgelaying.
22nd	Beckley Woods, Horseshoe Lane, between Beckley and Udimore. Scrub coppicing alongside Butterfly Conservation.
March 2009
1st	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
8th	Cliff End, Pett Level (Pett Level Preservation Trust). Blackthorn cutting.
15th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Cutting down birch trees.
22nd	Brickwall Deer Park, Northiam. Birch coppicing. Transport from the station may not be available.
29th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Cutting down birch trees and creating tiger beetle banks.
April 2009
5th	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
12th	Brickwall Deer Park, Northiam. Rhododendron cutting.
19th	Wainwright Close, St Leonards. Maintenance of this small reserve.
26th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Footpath improvement.
May 2009
3rd	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
10th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Footpath improvement.
17th	Marline Valley, Queensway, St Leonards (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Footpath improvement.
24th	Task to be confirmed. Transport from the station may not be available.
31st	Marline Valley, Queensway, St Leonards (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Bracken cutting.
June 2009
7th	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
14th	Brickwall Deer Park, Northiam. Bracken cutting.
21st	Marline Valley, Queensway, St Leonards (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Bracken cutting.
28th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Bracken cutting.
July 2009
5th	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
12th	Brickwall Deer Park, Northiam. Bracken cutting and ragwort control. Transport from the station may not be available.
19th	Red Barn Field, Sedlescombe (Sedlescombe Parish Council). Bracken and bramble cutting.
26th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Bracken cutting.
August 2009
2nd	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers).
9th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Bracken cutting.
16th	Mallydams Wood open day, Peter James Lane, Fairlight (RSPCA).
23rd	Wainwright Close, St Leonards. Cutting the meadow.
30th	Flatropers Wood, Bixley Lane, Beckley (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Bracken cutting.
September 2009
7th	Hastings Country Park (working with the volunteer Rangers). Transport from the station may not be available.
13th	Cliff End, Pett Level (Pett Level Preservation Trust). Meadow cutting.
20th	Hooe Common, Mill Lane, Hooe (Hooe Parish Council). Meadow cutting and bramble control.
27th	Marline Valley, Queensway, St Leonards (Sussex Wildlife Trust). Bramble control.

Useful Links for Volunteers

BTCV East Sussex runs volunteer tasks during the week, for those who can't make Sundays.

AboutMyArea volunteering around Battle for other volunteer opportunities in the area.