One of the ongoing battles for the volunteers is to control the spread of non-native, invasive plants that would otherwise take hold on the Reserve.
Rhododendrons were a major problem when the Reserve was founded in 2000 and they continue to be a problem today.
It's not unusual to be talking to a volunteer and suddenly see them disappear into the undergrowth with a mini-mattock in hand to dig up a Rhododendron seedling they've just spotted.
Rhododendrons are very determined plants and care has to be taken not to just leave them on the ground - they'll re-root quite easily. Seedlings are often hung up on bushes and trees so that they can't re-root.
Other invasive plants that we are on the lookout for includes Crocosmia and Buddleia. The newest addition to the list is the Hypericum.
With the changing climate the list of problem plants is always under review by the volunteers.
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