Our headline stories for the month.
Sanctuary
Since the lower section of what was known as Norton Nurseries has been returned to Graves Park it has become such a great ecological sanctuary that Friends of Graves Park have drawn up a scheme and applied for finance from Bill Oddie's "Autumn Watch" (Breathing Spaces). This will enable Dr Gavin Baxter of Wildlife Group in Norton Nurseries, park staff and rangers to further develop what is becoming an area of special scientific value for wild flowers, insects, birds and animals for public interest and involvement.
An exciting natural development for nature study and observation.
CLICK FOR FULL REPORT including many colour photographs of the wildlife. Please note this file might take a minute to download if you do not have broadband.
Ancient Pack Horse Bridge
Sheffield City Council Parks and Countryside has refurbished the ancient stone built Pack Horse Bridge which spans the Cold Stream Brook in the ravine at Meadowhead, connecting the footpath to the Hayfield Meadow and football pitches.
It should last another hundred years or so now!
Premier Pitches Decompact Deer Park
Folks visiting Graves Park during early April might have thought that they had been whisked off to Scarborough, as the land between the Animal Farm and the Rose Café was covered in a deep layer of sand.
In the footsteps of Sheffield's great public benefactor J G Graves, Carl Pass, Director of Premier Pitches, was so grateful for the facility of Graves Park which enabled him to recover from a major illness. He told Friends of Graves Park, "I would like to put something back into the Park, it's done so much for me."
A scheme was devised to decompact part of the most used and abused grassland area, the "Deer Park." The ground here had become so compacted with overuse, mainly for shows, that it had ceased to drain and grass would hardly grow.
Sheffield City Council Parks and Countryside provided funds for 200 tonnes of special sand, grass seed and fertiliser. Premier Pitches then undertook to spread and harrow the sand, verti-drain, overseed and apply fertiliser, all free of charge.
In addition Carl trialled his latest £35,000 "GWAZAE" ground probe aeration equipment. This forces compressed air into the ground up to 600 mm deep to fracture the soil profile. The grass should grow greener in the Deer Park this year. Many thanks to all concerned.
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