Hub Site Update – BGI Chesham – June 2023

June 2023

• 1st June – Night Camera was installed to watch for any wildlife/biodiversity at the BGI/Biomass Connect Hub…. We have already seen Muntjac and Roe Deer, hares, rabbits and a badger. All of these were spotted in the already established BGI plantations, not inside the Biomass Connect site.
• Regular perimeter walks have been undertaken to check for rabbits burying underneath the fence. Repairs have been made as required, to minimise any damage.
• 7th June – A Campbell Scientific Automatic Weather station was installed. Unfortunately, the ground was too dry and hard to install the 3 TOMST sensors, these will be installed once conditions allow.
• 14th June – Miscanthus Athena rhizomes arrived. The Miscanathus rhizomes were planted with tractor/machinery provided by a BGI sub-contractor.
• 27th June – Staff from Rothamsted Research, with help from BGI staff, planted ‘Sida’ rhizomes. Despite the dry/hard ground circa. 200 rhizomes were planted, luckily it rained a few days later.
• Most of the planting that has been undertaken to date is doing well despite the lack of rain this month.
• BGI Staff attended the REA Awards to collect the Pioneer Award won by Biomass Connect.

  

  Young Badger enjoying the fresh grass outside Biomass Connect fenceline

  

  Black Locust (pseudo acacia) ‘Turbo’ pushing through the flint and clay with no rain for 50 days

  

  Looking at a Eucalyptus plant from above doing well within its tree guard

  
  

  

  Miscanthus planting

  

  Sida planting

  

  Nick Eves, Henry Payne, (UKCEH) Matt Hunt, Helen West and Candice Hunt (BGI) and Callum Williams (AFBI NI) at the REA Awards

  
  

Read more about the Biomass Connect BGI Chesham Hub Site