Works Completed
Ilketshall St. Andrew & St. John
A County Wildlife Site and area of historic importance
Works Completed
- 2024
- 15th November. Final clearing up at The Mardle and removal of previously cut material from Great Common.
- 8th November. Further clearance works at The Mardle including removal of a fallen tree from the water. Other general scrub clearing. All work accomplished with willing volunteers including Mill Lane bonfire.
- 25th October. A volunteer work party cleared fallen trees and overgrown scrub at The Mardle.
- 11th October. Work party of volunteers continued to improve the drainage at The Mardle.
- 4th October. Volunteers set about remedying the flooding at the junction of Tooks Common Lane and Banters Lane.
- 9th September. General strimming of pond fronts, points of access and around bench seats and information boards.
- 15th August. Late cut of species rich Mill Common and Holdens Common north.
- 27th July. Permissive paths cut for fifth time.
- 28th June. The annual grass/hay cut commenced around the Commons.
- 18th June. General strimming works of pond fronts, access points, around benches and information boards.
- 14th June. Permissive pathways cut for the fourth time.
- 26th May. Permissive paths third cut.
- 7th May. Permissive paths cut for the second time this year.
- 7th May. First general strimming of the season for access points, pond fronts, around benches and information boards.
- 18th April. A tree on Great Common damaged by high winds was reported as dangerous. The tree was lowered to the ground and made safe.
- 15th April. First cut of the season for the permissive pathways.
- 19 January. Cut branches cleared away by volunteers.
- 2023
- Oct/Nov. Flailing of scrub, roadside ditches and hedges.
- 10th October. Becks Green. Overhanging tree branches removed.
- 2nd October. A 20% area of the wetland area on Little Common was cut and raked up.
- 24th September. Sixth cut of the permissive pathways.
- 30th August. Routine strimming of access points, pond fronts, around benches and information boards.
- 13th August. Fifth cut of permissive pathways.
- 13th August. Late, species rich cut of Mill Common and Holdens Common north.
- 9th August. Annual grass/hay cut on Blacksmiths, Little and Peardyke Commons
- 11th July. General strimming of access points, pond fronts and around seating and notice boards.
- 10th July. Annual grass/hay cut around the Commons commenced.
- 7th July. Fourth cut of the permissive pathways.
- 9th June. Third cut of permissive pathways.
- 29th May. The Mardle cut.
- 22nd - 26th May. Second cut of permissive pathways.
- 17th May. Routine strimming around selected vehicular and pedestrian access points. Also strimming to ponds fronts, bench seats and information boards.
- 3rd May. Pond surveys carried out by Juliet Hawkins.
- 1st May. First cut of the permissive pathways.
- 30th April. Grass area around The Mardle cut.
- 3rd March. Volunteer work party at Becks Green.
- 26th February. New padlocks for vehicular access on Little Common East.
- 24th February. Volunteer work party cleared dead Ash trees from Little Common. Some hedge guards also removed and general clearing.
- 17th February. Volunteer work party clearing brash and overhangs.
- 10th February. Volunteer work party, for second week, removing Willow saplings from around Pond 4 Great Common South.
- 3rd February. Volunteer work party removing Willow saplings from around Pond 4 Great Common South.
- 27th January. Volunteer work party at The Mardle.
- 26th January. Drainage ditches between Little and Peardyke Commons dug out.
- 20th January. Volunteer work party clearing away brash and cutting back overhangs.
- 2022
- 2nd November. Ponds 3 and 4 on Great Common South were patch scraped.
- Oct/Nov. Flailing of scrub, roadside ditches and hedges.
- 28th September. Routine strimming works undertaken.
- 28th September. The 20% of the wetland area on Little Common was cut.
- 4th September. Grass area around The Mardle cut.
- 18th August. Vehicular access post and padlock replaced on Holdens Common North.
- 17th - 19th August. Species rich Holdens Common North and Mill Common cut and baled.
- 8th July. The annual hay/grass cut was completed with yields down on last year.
- 30th June. Routine maintenance strimming around selected access points, bench seats, pond fronts and information boards.
- 18th June. Third cut of permissive paths.
- 25th May. Second cut of permissive pathways.
- 17th May. Routine maintenance strimming around selected access points, pond fronts, information boards and benches in accordance with the Management Plan.
- 1st May. First cut of permissive pathways.
- 18th April. Overwintered areas of grass cut.
- 13th April. Replacement timber pedestrian access posts and boards installed on Blacksmiths Common and Peardyke Common.
- 7th January. Hedge gapping up/planting completed at the West end of Great Common South. Image in Gallery
- 2021
- 22nd December. Locking security post replaced on Holdens North.
- 22nd December. Works undertaken on drainage ditches at Holdens Common North and South to help solve the flooding of Great Common Lane.
- 21st December. Drainage grips and ditch improved at Blacksmiths Corner.
- 16th December. Little Common. Work on clearing overgrown drainage ditch.
- 7th December. Locking security post replaced on Blacksmiths East.
- 26th October. The work of clearing the fallen tree on Blacksmiths Common completed by volunteers.
- 19th October. Blacksmiths Common. Volunteers made a good start on clearing another fallen tree with the brash taken to the bonfire site.
- 12th October. Mill Common. Work on fallen tree completed.
- 7th October. Volunteers started to clear the fallen tree on Mill Common.
- 1st October onwards. Scheduled maintenance of some roadside ditches and the planned management of selected hedgerows and scrub undertaken.
- 28th September. Approximately 20% of the wetland area on Little Common cut down in line with Suffolk Wildlife Trust recommendations.
- 10th September. Permissive pathways cut for 6th time this season.
- 10th September. The Mardle grass surrounds were flailed.
- 24th - 27th August. The species rich grass of Mill Common and Holdens Common North were cut and baled.
- 23rd August. Routine maintenance strimming around selected access points, bench seats, pond fronts and information boards.
- 7th August. Fifth cut of permissive pathways.
- 5th August. Grass surrounds at The Mardle flailed.
- 1st August. Locking access posts replaced on Little Common East.
- 14th July. Start of the annual hay/silage cut of the commons.
- 9th July. Permissive pathways cut for fourth time this summer.
- 5th July. The grass surrounds of The Mardle were flailed.
- The previously installed bench on Great Common North was removed.
- 9th June. Third cutting of permissive pathways.
- 9th June. Bench seat installed on Great Common North.
- 20th May. The permissive grass paths were cut for the second time this season.
- 10th May. Routine maintenance strimming around selected access points, pond fronts, information boards and benches.
- 1st May. First cut of permissive pathways.
- 18th April. Overwintered areas cut.
- 16th February. Overgrown pathway cut back on Great Common. Image below in gallery
- 7/8th January. Maintenance and repair work to security bunds and drainage ditches completed at Holdens Common North, Little/Peardyke Commons and at The Mardle. Images below
- 2020
- 25th November. Volunteers finished job of cutting sallows and saplings at Becks Green.
- 18th November. Saplings and sallows cut out by volunteers at Becks Green.
- 4th November. Sallows along Great Common Lane and School Road cut and treated by volunteers.
- 28th October. Volunteer work party cut sallows.
- 22nd October. Bench seats have been installed by volunteers on Mill Common, Great Common South and at Becks Green.
- 2nd October. Fifth and final cut for the year of permissive pathways.
- 1st October onwards. Scheduled maintenance of some roadside ditches and the planned management of selected hedgerows and scrub undertaken.
- 8th - 10th September. The species rich Commons were cut, baled and taken off.
- 1st September. Routine maintenance strimming around specific access points, pond fronts, information boards and benches.
- 1st September. A section of the wetland area on Little Common cut in line with Suffolk Wildlife Trust recommendations.
- 22nd August. Fourth cut of permissive pathways.
- 22nd July. Trial harrowing undertaken today as detailed in Management Plan.
- 21st July. Annual hay cut completed with Blacksmiths Common cut and baled.
- 30th June. Routine maintenance strimming around specific access points, pond fronts, information boards and benches.
- 15th June. Pond surveys carried out.
- 8th June. Third cut of permissive pathways.
- 14th May. Second cut of permissive pathways.
- 13th May. Routine maintenance strimming around selected access points, pond fronts, information boards and benches.
- 13th May. Targeted spot spraying for thistles on Great Common.
- April. First cut of permissive pathways.
- The overwintered uncut areas were cut and baled at the end of April.
- 2019
- Volunteers cleared along Great Common Lane between the village sign and Hawthorn Farm.
- Grass flailed at The Mardle.
- Grass strimmed when required around selected pond fronts, benches and information boards.
- Permissive pathways kept cut between April and September.
- Volunteers made and installed oak benches on Peardyke Common, Blacksmiths Common and Great Common South.
- Access points strimmed in readiness for hay cut.
- Volunteers cleared overhanging and dangerous trees along Tooks Common Lane.
- Annual hay cut started on 1st July.
- High species late cut completed August.
- Flailing and hedgerow management commenced late October.
- Volunteers replaced all seven of the information boards at various locations.
To view an enlarged version of the image scroll over the image and left-click the image.
