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My second site visit was attended by members of Friends of the Crags and representatives of Sheffield City Council. We were blessed with intermittent sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures.

The Council have confirmed that the area that is potentially to be cared for by Friends of the Crags (FoC) does include land zoned for development. However, FoC and others believe that steep topography and poor access make the site highly unsuitable for commercial exploitation. No building can take place on Jaunty Park as it is public open space. Both of these points persuade us that whatever we do will not be lost to development any time in the near future.

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The old laid hawthorn hedge that runs both sides of one of the main paths

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The land under consideration was known historically as Frecheville Heath and a small area of heath remains to this day, still bearing this name. It is a Local Wildlife Site (LWS) on account of the heath (heather and gorse) and it is also one of Sheffield's Heathlands Habitat Action Plan Target Sites.

After the bracken clearance undertaken in 2018 there are some signs of heather regeneration. The conservation charity Froglife had previously cleared bracken to improve the reptile habitat. Nearby Wickfield Heath LWS is known for its reptiles and newts. It has been suggested that heather seed could be gathered from Wickfield Heath to reseed the cleared areas.

There are thought to be no native bluebells on site, aside from a few possible examples down by a boundary ditch(?) at the back of Birley Vale Close (BVC). Although bluebell bulbs are now emerging in various locations it is not yet possible to tell whether they are Spanish bluebells or a hybrid – this is something to check when in flower.  A small area of wood sage was found growing in the dappled shade under silver birch trees.  Ramsons were found growing along one silted up stream further up the hill from BVC. A simple plant survey has been suggested for spring, when we will also look into the possibility that badgers are thought to be using some of the wooded portions of the site.

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Ramsons, or wild garlic, growing in a drainage channel despite the rubbish

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The site is known for its sessile oak and the last major coppicing took place during WW2, as the wood was used as a replacement fuel when coal supplies were uncertain. With the knowledge it can be said, with some degree of confidence, that the largest coppiced oaks are well over 100 years old. The Council confirmed that their ranger service had previously been keen to reinstate coppicing here but the idea fell out of favour due to the dumping of garden waste and other anti-social behaviours.

The Council have suggested putting up some bird and bat boxes, and may be able to contribute some. A summertime evening bat walk was been mooted and, judging by the popularity of similar events at Shire Brook Valley, it would be an excellent community engagement activity. It would be great way of illustrating what wildlife the site already supports before improvements are made to the habitat. The Council would provide the bat detectors.

My suggestion to plant an impenetrable hedge above the unfenced old quarry crags has been agreed by the Council. As it addresses a key safety concern the hedge creation should be one of the earliest interventions on site. It is also an opportunity for creating another habitat, especially for birds, and should include wildlife-supporting species such as deciduous blackthorn, hawthorn, field maple, spindle and guelder rose. Evergreen Pyracantha and Cotoneaster could be included to provide permanent cover throughout winter. Blackthorn, hawthorn and Pyracantha all bear sharp thorns and are considered natural deterrents and can be planted wherever there is need to restrict access.

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Wood sage growing in light shade under a canopy of silver birch trees

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A tributary of Shire Brook runs through the west of the site, before heading north at the Birley Vale Industrial Estate. Sections of it are partially blocked with dumped materials such as discarded electronics and there is an issue of greywater from nearby housing leaching into the brook, due to poorly installed plumbing. Both problems are observable from the footpath at the southeastern corner of the main recreation field.

Further up the hill, and near the lower end of the path edged with laid hawthorn hedges, there is a blocked grid drain that presumably links up with a culvert designed to stop water flowing from higher ground into the industrial estate. The blockage means that during high rainfall events water is now rerouting downhill and flooding the open green space immediately to the south of the industrial estate.

Clearing the drain would be expensive and lead to further maintenance costs, however the situation cannot be left as it is. If it could be established that the flooding issue is seasonal, or only results from high rainfall events, a case could be made for creating a wildlife pond instead. This would provide an additional habitat for newts and other amphibians.

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A blocked drain - might this be an opportunity to create a seasonal pond?

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Another major issue is the pile of dumped garden waste at the end of the gennel. The Council confirm that removal is not their responsibility. Advice given indicates that the waste would cost £51 per tonne to dispose of. The large pile next to the footpath – the area not yet covered with bracken - could cost approximately £1500 to remove. If a contractor were employed to do this for us they need the right credentials and it might be safest to use a Council-approved contractor. Getting quotes for this work is something that needs to be swiftly actioned.