Digging and dowsing - wetland restoration day

Our Youth Leadership Group are keen to restore the wetlands on the farm, and they need your help!

They would like you to join us for the day to work like a beaver and help us re-wet our fields. 

Beavers are experts at detecting and slowing water flow to create wildlife rich wetlands. Unfortunately, beavers were removed from this area around 800 years ago and the farm's wetlands were drained to make it easier for past farmers to grow more grain. As time has gone by it has become clear that draining land has some damaging side effects, such as degrading wildlife populations and contributing to down stream flooding.

We want to embody a beaver to bring the wetlands back! Come and join us for a morning of figuring out where the water flows and removing the historic stone land drains, known as soughs. 

We will test a variety of techniques; listening for water like a beaver does, dowsing for it using copper rods and referring to old maps to try and find our soughs. Once we have found them we can start digging!

Important information

We will probably get muddy and maybe a bit wet - strong footwear and clothes you don't mind getting mucky are essential. 

Children must be 5+. All children must be supervised throughout the event. Dogs are not permitted at the event. The farm is on a steep hillside and the ground is uneven.

Hot drinks and refreshments will be provided. 

Directions

Full directions can be found here.

For queries please email: karina@heartwoodsfc.com

Intergenerational Action for Climate and Nature

This event is part of a three year project in partnership with Action for Conservation and Avon Wildlife Trust and funded through The National Lottery Community Fund to empower and involve young people in building climate resilience by restoring damaged ecosystems. The farm is one of three UK sites that are inviting young people to form a Youth Leadership Group to map and plan restoration actions at the farm over the next three years.