30th July: Impressive clearance of Pirri-pirri burs

With the help of Jo and volunteer Harry, this afternoon we collected two huge bags of Pirri-pirri bur seeds from the dunes of the Reserve. This is an invasive, non-native plant from New Zealand, which grows aggressively and pushes out native plants. The seeds have spines that stick to clothing and dog fur, meaning they are easily transported. Once we started collecting the seeds by hand, they stuck together and easily rolled up into big balls!

Harry and Jo with just some of their Pirri seed balls - impressive work!

This is part of ongoing work to clear the Pirri-pirri burs from the major paths among the Reserve. This means that when visitors walk along the main paths here there is less chance of them picking up burs on their clothing, so the risk of seeds being transported to other sites nearby is reduced. It also creates less nuisance for visitors.

Showing how difficult it is to remove the seeds once they get attached to clothing!

In addition to checking your clothing, please check your dog for the spiny burs after visiting the Reserve.

If you would like to join our team of volunteers to tackle the Pirri-pirri bur and help out on the Reserve, please contact the Reserve office on 01289 381470.

16th July: John Muir Award group help out on the NNR

Last Tuesday, another gloriously sunny and hot day, we had an excellent group of students from Berwick Middle School visit the Reserve to get stuck into litter collection and invasive plant clearance. These activities counted towards the student’s John Muir Award, the educational initiative of the John Muir Trust. This is a fantastic way for young people to learn about conservation and how they can care for their natural environment.

The day began with an introduction to the Reserve, then straight into a litter pick around the East shore of Budle Bay. The students saw why it is important to carry out regular litter picks in tidal areas, as we filled many bags with parts of glass bottles, pieces of plastic and old fishing nets – they also found some more ‘interesting’ rubbish such as half an old bell!

Students collecting litter at Budle Bay

After lunch, it was straight back to Budle Bay – this time to begin clearing an invasive species of cordgrass, Spartina anglica. This species, which is very vigorous and pushes out native saltmarsh communities, is a hybrid with our native cordgrass and an introduced species of cordgrass from America. The hybrid grows very quickly and takes over the mudflats, so removes habitat for geese and wading birds which use the Reserve to feed and roost.

Digging up the Spartina - very muddy business!

Thankfully, the sun had disappeared for the afternoon so it was cooler for digging! Spartina is quite difficult to clear, requiring digging underneath the deep, dense roots which need removed completely or the plant will continue to grow. The plants were collected in large bags which were dragged up to the lay-by, which the students enjoyed very much!

Pulling a large bag full of Spartina bag up the bank - hard work!!

This is the 9^th year that students from Berwick Middle School have come to the Reserve to carry out activities towards their John Muir Award, and since then the extent of the Spartina has reduced. We’re so grateful to the school and students for coming to help us out, and we’re very happy to be able to offer activities like this to local groups.

If you work with school or volunteer groups and are interested in carrying out projects on Lindisfarne NNR, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – tel. 01289 381470 to speak to a member of Reserve staff.

9th July: Pirri-pirri bur bashing

Reserve staff and volunteers have begun the removal of Pirri-pirri bur from the sand dunes at Cocklawburn and Cheswick, part of the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) adjacent to the Reserve. We have been tackling it using garden forks and hand-pulling, which is effective at removing most of the vegetation but is very hard work!

Our volunteer warden showing how easily the burs attach themselves to your clothing!

Reserve staff have been working with Berwick Wildlife Group to map the extent of Pirri-Pirri bur at the Northern edge of the Reserve. Large patches have been found among Cheswick dunes, part of the SSSI that we have a responsibility to manage as it is next to the Lindisfarne NNR - the Reserve reaches the mean high tide mark here.

The grid reference of each patch of Pirri-pirri has been recorded in order to create a map of it's invasion. Reserve staff and volunteers will then remove the Pirri-pirri at each reference point, then next year repeat this to see how effective removal has been (hopefully very much so!). Berwick Wildlife Group have been great in organising these surveys and raising awareness about problems with Pirri-pirri in the local area.

The prickly fruiting bodies of the Pirri-pirri bur - these break down on contact, allowing the seeds to spread further

In addition to the seeds being spread by the prickly burs, the plant also spreads by stolons that grow underground - this can make it hard to remove completely. Pirri-pirri causes artificial dune stabilisation, competes with native sand dune species, invades the botanically rich areas of the dunes in dry seasons, and burs can get tangled in fledgling bird's feathers preventing them from flying.

In addition to hand-pulling the plants, Reserve staff and volunteers are collecting the seeds on the main paths among the dunes of Holy Island to prevent them being spread further into the dunes. You can help us by staying on the paths when visiting the Reserve, and by checking your shoes, clothing and dogs for the burs before leaving.