The team at Cuttlebrook Nature Reserve have been hard at work with the following action: 

1.  the re-planting of the Cox’s Wood felled areas (ash dieback clearance);
2. Powerline clearance by National Grid. There were a lot of trees felled, including some diseased ash at their request. Some of the felled material is earmarked for brook enhancement work - see later.;
3. Regular postings on their new Instagram account, courtesy of Daisy Edinburgh - a DofE student;
4. A pollution incident caused by Thames Water contractors working in Coombe Hill Crescent which they followed up with the Environment Agency (absolutely useless!) and with TW (who took it very seriously, investigated and kept CBCV in the loop, all of which was quite impressive);

They've started working with River Thame Conservation Trust on further brook enhancements through the reserve (including Rycote Meadow). The first stage is to complete a ’topographical’ survey of the brook bed so that they can identify the best locations for enhancement works. They've got about half way but were held up by both freezing conditions and also very high water levels, both of which make it unsafe to work in the brook. They have now re-commenced the survey and expect to complete it by the end of February. This work will inform where they can make habitat improvements, including in-flow deflectors using some of the tree trunks felled during the power line clearance.