Tuesday 30 August was a joint volunteer day between SWT and Unstead Nature Community Group at their site adjacent to Godalming's treatment works.
What is now a nature reserve was originally a series of lagoons for the treatment of sewage and wastewater arriving down the pipes from Godalming and Farncombe. The untreated liquid would settle out in the lagoons and filter through the soil to land drains beneath and the clean water would then flow into the adjacent River Wey. Over the last century, processes improved and the use of the lagoons was restricted to final cleaning (‘polishing’) of treated wastewater and by the 1970s they became redundant as new treatment works were introduced. In the late 1990s Thames Water decided to convert these lagoons into a wetland nature reserve, including the excavation of shallows and scrapes as well as building a hide with an access footpath. The reserve was informally handed over to a local birding group. Unfortunately, that group, although keen on birds, did not have the knowledge or time to look after and manage the reserve and it slowly declined in its nature value. The water source for the lagoons became clogged and they dried up. Alder, birch and willow were soon on the scene, eventually taking over what had been wetlands.
During the covid lockdowns of 2020 there were no volunteer days at SWT (nor at RSPB, ARC or the National Trust). A group of frustrated SWT volunteers were invited to do a bit of conservation work at Unstead by Keith Lightfoot, who had become aware of the sorry state of the reserve from his barber – a member of the birding group. 6 SWT volunteers joined Keith initially to unblock the water-source and subsequently to start clearing the overgrown lagoons. The group grew in number and has now been formalised as the Unstead Nature Community Group, a registered charitable incorporated organisation, with over 100 supporting members and some 15 active weekly volunteers.
But some tasks are so big that a helping hand is needed to see it through. And so to the joint volunteer day with SWT to mow part of the South Meadow at Unstead. A drier part of the reserve had become thick with grasses, rush, ragwort, thistle and nettles, all helped by the nutrient-rich soil from its previous use. The aim was to mow the area and remove the arisings in anticipation of future sowing of wildflower seeds to increase the diversity of the plant life.
The joint volunteer day was popular with SWT volunteers and with a few Unstead volunteers, the total number for the day was 27 plus the SWT team of 3 (Luke, Claire and Emily). Maybe there was a degree of curiosity about the site, which has been talked about at other SWT volunteer days over the last year or so. For whatever reason, the high numbers meant a lot was done on the day with hand- scything, taking, bagging and carrying, and using a BCS scythe-mower.
The whole area allotted had been mown and cleared shortly after lunch so an early finish beckoned. Several volunteers took the opportunity of a tour of the reserve led by warden Keith, seeing the range of habitats across the site and the significant amount of work carried out by volunteers over the last two years. The cleared lagoons have water with abundant bird- and plantlife, new hedges have been planted, older hedges laid, new access paths created. A nature reserve worth visiting!
The Unstead site, at 25 acres, is not large but it is another link in the network of community reserves encouraged and supported by SWT. This mowing volunteer day demonstrated enthusiasm for such cooperation and was gratefully welcomed by the Unstead team.