Ascension : Conservation Weekly
Submitted by The Islander (Conservation Office) 11.02.2010 (Article Archived on 25.02.2010)

We would like to thank the RAF Movements Section for their hard work clearing paths in the Green Mountain National Park. Their help has been much appreciated.

Ascension Island Conservation Department

We would like to thank the RAF Movements Section for their hard work clearing paths in the Green Mountain National Park. Their help has been much appreciated.

Report by Cpl Chris Lanigan

After the dust had settled on the Christmas period, (which still involved quite a lot of aircraft handling here) it was decided amongst the Movements Section here on Ascension Island that we would take it upon ourselves to reinitiate conservation work that had unfortunately fallen by the wayside. I was the one who was handed the responsibility of liaising with the conservation staff on the Island. Upon speaking to Mr Stedson Stroud, who was my point of contact, it was decided that we would be best employed clearing the path that led from the Water Catchment Reservoir up to the Dew Pond. As we had all walked this path previously, it seemed like it was going to be quite a hard yet rewarding task. The Movements Team met up with Stedson to receive a Health and Safety briefing on how to use the machetes. A wise decision indeed, given that it would be Movers brandishing the weapons. All that remained then was for me to do my first ever team brief in my new role as a JNCO, for which I was surprisingly less nervous than expected.

Thankfully the day came and remained aircraft free. The seven staff (WO Dave Drake, Cpls Dean “Tweakie” Buckingham and Richie Higgins from the permanent staff and Sgt Kev Full, myself Cpl Chris Lanigan and SACs Dave Flewin and Alan Smith) made our way to our rendezvous point with a sense of excitement about the afternoon ahead. We were met by Stedson and Matti and transported up to our start point by Land Rover. Sadly, our woefully underpowered Citroen Berlingo run around would never have made it. However, it would have been interesting trying to get it up the dirt track. We then laid our hands on our tools for the day. Never one to miss a photo opportunity, Flewin and myself had to go for the compulsory pose with the big knife photo before any work was done. The magnificent seven were split down a little. Kev and Smithy volunteered to go log clearing and the other five were each handed a machete and told to start making our way back down to the Water Catchment Reservoir, cutting back any of the ginger plants that had overgrown the track. Being the typical non moaning Welshman that I am, I took to the conservation work like a duck to water. Luckily I was the only person who had a camera readily available, so I was able to take tactical breaks for action shots. We made quick progress mutilating the hedgerows. Matti informed us that he needed two more people to help further up the Mountain, because Kev and Smithy were struggling bless them. Unfortunately that meant that my camera would have to go away and that these tactical breaks of mine would have to be knocked on the head. Only stopping to borrow/steal one of Flewin’s gloves, because my soft rugby playing hands had started to blister, I couldn’t leave the two Daves to do all the work themselves. The three of us continued at a very good speed and made it down to the bottom of the path in no time at all. Apparently, Kev and Smithy had it much harder than us hauling logs. Thankfully, the most trustworthy member of the team Tweakie (obviously) soon dismissed this as being false.

The Conservation staff were very happy with our work. It was agreed that we would help at least once a month. This just goes to show that despite our not overly excessive workload, we don’t spend all of our time on Op Bronze down the beach.