As the Met Office forecasted it was a sunny morning with bright blue sky and so clear that the air almost looked sparkly.
There was a good turnout of volunteers – about 20 people including children.
John Dugnolle had two tasks for us that morning.
The first job was to clear away the branches and rhododendron that we had cut on previous field days and to continue with cutting back, in the woodland area. This, of course, meant a bonfire. 
We have bonfires to clear away excessive cut material on the behest of Horsham Parks and Countryside. While some branches and brash enhances the natural environment, excessive amounts cause a health and safety issue (trips etc), suppress the growth of plants underneath the piles and can be an eyesore.
When John plans to have a bonfire he contacts the local fire service in advance so that they are aware.
The second job was to continue the painstaking (and painful – those brambles can really hurt) task of removing invasive plants from the heather bank opposite the bench on the main path. The invasive plants are mainly brambles but include tree saplings and rhododendron.
Over the past months we have been gradually restoring this heather bank, moving from the east end to the west, Sandgate Lane, end. I am told that this bank was last restored about 5 years ago but the restoration work had not extended as far as the area we worked on yesterday.
While it cannot be said that all of the weed plants have been removed the state of the 
heather bank is now much improved. The proof will be later in the spring when the foxgloves flower and in the summer when the heather blooms.
While we worked we came across a ladybird and a black beetle about 1.5cm long, and saw brimstone and peacock butterflies.
At 11am we stopped for a well-earned break and a chat, before resuming work for another half an hour or so until we finished at around noon.
