Dean Green Team

Wildlife Conservation Group in the

Forest of Dean

Gloucestershire

29 November 2011

Clearwell Meend

Grid Ref SO581087

It was a blustery and rainy day for us at Clearwell Meend! We split the team into two parties so that some of us were clearing the ponds at the top of the hill and the others were clearing the grassland above the whitehead limestone. Limestone is an organic, sedimentary rock. This means it was formed from the remains of tiny shells and micro-skeletons deposited on the sea bed. They were compressed to form solid rock. Limestone is made up of calcium carbonate. The limestone cannot be seen and is covered by turf which supports the many species of flora.

The forest rangers used their brush cutting tools to remove the dead grass.

We raked up the dead grass and debris from the site so that the flora could re-establish in the spring.

One of the top ponds and the cut willow pile.