Around a dozen people took part in a dock digging morning on Saturday which was part of an effort to restore a wildflower meadow at Jenkins Field, near the steamer house at Glenridding.
The effort was organised by Patterdale Parish Council with support from conservation charity the John Muir Trust, which had already given a grant of £1,000 towards the cost of the project.
Parish councillor Maddy Teasdale said Eden Council had passed responsibility for the field to the smaller authority, which decided that part of it should be managed for the benefit of wildlife.
The area chosen was about two acres close to the steamer landing, where it will be seen by a large number of visitors as well as locals.
Some of the grant money from the John Muir Trust was used to pay for a botanical survey and management plan by Wild Lakeland, which identified that docks needed to be removed since, when cut, they enrich the soil too much for many wildflower species, which do best in impoverished conditions.
Maddy was pleased with the turnout of dock digging volunteers — some of them John Muir staff — who spent about two hours on the task. Further dock removal will be required in the future, and there are also plans to create a wetland scrape within the area.
Other work planned for this year includes mowing the area and sowing yellow rattle, which is good for helping establish wildflower meadows. It is also hoped that in the autumn local youngsters will help with planting wildflower plugs to increase the diversity of species present.
Maddy said: “This is a long-term project which will take several years. We will also be putting up an interpretation boards at the site so people know what we are doing.”
She added that Jenkins Field was already quite good for wildlife, including voles, mice and the owls which prey upon them.
Anybody who would like to help with the wildflower meadow project should contact Patterdale Parish Council through its website at http://www.patterdale-pc.org.uk
