The Countryside Infrastructure

Things in the countryside do slowly deteriorate with age and need looking after  – I am talking about the infrastructure, not the volunteers – whether its paths getting waterlogged, wooden bridges going rotten, or signs needing re-painting. Two of the regular tasks every year are:

Fencing

At Aberlady, a big task in the autumn and spring is the erecting and dismantling of two kilometres of electric fencing (it does get switched off before we do it!), used to keep the sheep in their enclosure for the winter. This isn’t a strenuous task but does require a bit of walking. All tools and equipment provided, as usual.

 

At the mouth of the river Tyne near Dunbar another big task is to fence off the tip of Spike island in Spring, to discourage people and dogs from entering the area, so as to encourage Little and Arctic terns – protected species – to return to nest in peace. This involves digging holes for hundreds of posts – but much easier than it sounds: its not soil but sand, and the poles are all light plastic. (The big wooden ones are put in by the coonsil!)