15/16/17-03-2014 : Riverbank building gets underway at the Hogsmill

The big weekend finally arrived - and what a three days it was! Blazing summer sunshine, crowds of eager volunteers and heaps of team spirit saw us through our huge task - to build up a riverbank area next to the concrete wall at Knights Park.

A happy gang at the Hogsmill work on the new riverbank structure

The log deflectors that had been positioned last month were certainly doing their job in redirecting the river's flow and creating new pools and scoured areas. That had been heavy work, but nothing as sustained as what was required this weekend, as volunteers attempted to shift 40tonnes of gravel and 200 bundles of brash into the river!

The gravel is good to go!

Sadly we had less brash to work with than planned as Bob, our forest worker supplier from Maidstone, had his wood burnt by vandals on Wednesday night. This was a devastating blow for us, let alone him, but nonetheless he came up trumps with the posts we needed and we also managed to source some other brash, albeit shorter, from elsewhere just in the nick of time!

What a lot of wood!
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

We split into two teams - one wet and one dry - to share the in-river and on-land activities and keep momentum going. Our digger driver Ben kept all wheelbarrows topped up as soon as they arrived in his gravel-filled compound so there was no slacking for those on wheelbarrow duty! A quick turnaround and they were back at the ramp ready to tip their load onto the riverbed. Keen not to slow progress the shuttle runs continued with endurance all day.

A line of wheelbarrows heads to the riverside
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

 Bruce keeps the barrows coming
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Jacob and Stuart give it all they've got to tip the heavy load into the river
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

A welcome break for one volunteer as Ben refills the barrows!
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

David and Stuart check the river is clear before unloading the gravel
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Those in the river didn't get off lightly either post knocking was the first task and a seriously heavy one! Those who had experienced these hefty metal tools at our event in February knew the key was to partner up, get into a rhythm and of course keep stopping for breath! That said, several volunteers took on the task alone and impressed a watching crowd with their undeniable strength and and stamina. Who needs the gym when there's post-knocking and wheelbarrowing to be done?!

Elliot and James pair up for some super efficient post-knocking
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Bill and Jacob give the four-handed technique a go too

Evie and Alex get into a good rhythm with their post knocker
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Louise goes it alone - with great success
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Grrrr! Toby shows this post who's boss!
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

As posts were knocked into place to delineate the edge of the new riverbank area, others brought brash bundles to start filling the void. These had to be carefully positioned so the thick and thin ends of the coppiced wood meshed together tightly, then they were secured with wire criss-crossing to the nearby posts. To get good tension on the wires, volunteers used their body weight to compress the brash, then the posts were knocked in further to consolidate the woody material into a tight, neat form.

Helen lugs a brash bundle into position
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Jacob grapples with another bundle of brash in the river
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Toby marks out where the brash needs to go along the line of posts
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Joe, Fiona, Ben, Chris, David and Joe set to work on the next section downstream

Evie and Claire compress the brash ready for wiring
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Derryn does a bit of brash 'knitting'!
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

Can't see the wood for the trees? James tries to line up the thick and thin ends
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

James and Louise reel out the wire over the brash
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Our new brash and post structure curved out into the river to pinch the channel and change the flow conditions

Gravel was poured endlessly into the gap between the wall and brash, and at times it felt we would never fill the hole we had created, but brawn once again came into play as piles of gravel were shovelled along and redistributed into the deeper pools.

Yet more gravel going in!

Not afraid of heavy work, Louise laughs in the face of yet another barrow of gravel!
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Obligatory arty shot - captures the energy fantastically as volunteers frantically level out the gravel
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Temperatures were like a hot summer's day so we had to be sure to keep everyone well watered and the suncream on standby. We were able to listen to the rugby scores on the radio over lunch on Saturday, and a good score from England gave use the extra impetus we needed to get going again in the afternoon.

Break time boys!
Photo courtesy of D. Hargreaves

On Sunday morning we were greeted by a mother duck and 15 ducklings inspecting our handywork! They made regular trips back and forth to see how work was progressing and made use of the calmer, shallower pools we created with the timber to rest their new young legs in!

Ahhh, cute!
Photo courtesy of M. McLellan

As Monday lunchtime approached we were down to our last wheelbarrows of gravel and scraping together the last of the brash too - the end was in sight!

Jelmer tips one of the final barrows of gravel on Monday...hooray!
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Ben, James and myself wire in the last few posts over the brash
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

To do a thorough job of improving habitat quality, volunteers split once more and formed a litter task force in and around the river. Our planned volunteer Hogsmill litter pick was cancelled in February due to the floods and high river levels, but today was a different story. And we more than half-filled a trailer with our finds in just the one afternoon. Carpet, bike frames, a TV, chair, fencing panel and of course the ubiquitous shopping trolley were all heaved out of the water - an extremely satisfying task.

Gilly, David, Tara, Elliot, Alison and myself scour the river for rubbish

Teamwork does the trick once more to haul this fence panel from the water

Going shopping Jean and Jelmer?!!
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Jelmer takes great pride in heaving the abandoned shopping trolley into our waiting trailer
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

The litter pickers pause for a TV break!
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University 

Tara and Gilly team up to rid the river of random metal objects
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Just when we thought the litter pick was done...the boys find this lurking under the water
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

A satisfyingly full trailer to be taken to the tip courtesy of Quadron contractors

Final tasks of the day were to cut down the posts, tighten the last of the wires, gather up the tools and pose for one last photo!

Toby's chainsaw makes quick work of the post tops
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Ever the perfectionists, James and Louise make sure everything is hammered down and braced as tight as possible.

Our new riverbank is taking shape!

End of day 3 - the team is weary but proud
Photo courtesy: Ezzidin Alwan, Web & Multimedia Team, Kingston University

Peace at last, the river is left to settle in the evening sun as volunteers head home. 

We attracted more volunteers as the weekend went on, as people saw what we were doing and wanted to be involved. The good will and fantastic spirit of the volunteers was outstanding, and without it we would never have achieved what we did. So, a big THANK YOU to everyone who helped, in whatever way, to make this weekend a success.
The final touches will come in April when we plant the area up with marginal species - sounds like a breeze compared to the workout we got this weekend!