The Gym is back in town! Volunteers revisit the Madeira Drive green wall for the first time since the pandemic
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The Gym is back in town! Volunteers revisit the Madeira Drive green wall for the first time since the pandemic

Those amazing folk from Portslade Green Gym were at Madeira Drive for the first of this year’s visits to the green wall. They were last due on 5 March 2020, and we all know why that didn’t happen!

Doing their usual terrific work today, to cut back growth, ensuring the maintenance of the wildlife on the site, and protection of the historic Japanese spindle plants.

Lopping and chopping – Portslade Green Gym volunteers working in the sunshine at Madeira Drive Green Wall, Brighton & Hove

There were also good signs that the Building Green Babies – young spindle plants we grew from cuttings on site – are growing up.

One of the volunteers was saying how important this work is – not just from a wildlife point of view, but for the mental health of the team. Many of the volunteers are older, and live alone – being outdoors with their friends, doing something physical, is a joy – and something sorely missed during lockdown.

Portslade Green Gym volunteers warming up in the sunshine at Madeira Drive Green Wall, Brighton & Hove

Our thanks to the Council team for cutting back along the path edge this week, to keep the pavement clear for pedestrians.

After! These babies were planted in May 2019 from cuttings taken in summer 2018…so 4 years old!

Next volunteer work day is 18 November. Come and say hello, or lend a hand.

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Fabulous wildlife sighting along Madeira Drive Green Wall as a flock of swifts descend

It’s the first swift record for the Madeira Drive Green wall – and in style, as over 50 birds descended this evening to feed above and along Madeira Drive and Duke’s Mound.

Some birds were even flying a few feet above the beach, and along the sea.

As it was drizzly and overcast there were few people about to appreciate it, so here’s a couple of videos that capture something of the moment.

Know your birds – Ten feathered friends to look out for along the Madeira Drive Green Wall on International Dawn Chorus Day
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Know your birds – Ten feathered friends to look out for along the Madeira Drive Green Wall on International Dawn Chorus Day

There are over 100 types of flowering plant growing on the Madeira Drive Green Wall ‘Local Wildlife Site’.

And there are 10 types of bird that have been seen nesting, or feeding, in these plants.

See how many birds you can spot next time you’re down there…it’s a great time to visit as it’s breeding season and there should be lots of birdsong.

Here’s what to look for, and let us know if you can add to the list!

Clockwise from Top Left: Wren, Blackbird, Dunnock, Wood pigeon, Starling
Clockwise from Top Left: Herring gull, Feral pigeon, Goldfinch, House martin, House sparrow

All photos used under creative commons licence.

Madeira Drive green wall update and what needs to be done next
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Madeira Drive green wall update and what needs to be done next

The news of the cutting of the green wall has spread far and wide.

There have been multiple stories on The Argus, Brighton & Hove Independent, More Radio and BBC Sussex.

Most striking has been the outpouring of local concern and sadness at how the work was completed, an apology from The Council, and a memorial event yesterday (involving a minute’s silence and a wreath laying) organised by local people and members of Madeira Drive campaign groups.

Meanwhile, Building Green volunteers have replanted a section of the wall on Duke’s Mound, as part of our long term project to restore the wall to its former length.

Building Green awaits the report of what happened exactly, so we can ensure that all parties learn from this for the future.

However we do know that the cutting included a very large fig, several stools of Japanese spindle planted in 1872, and the removal of large specimens of Spanish gorse and Darwin’s barberry. A number of ferns have been exposed and died. This section of wall was used by dunnock, wren and blackbird.

We know from our coppicing trials elsewhere on the green wall, and from recent work in partnership with the Council to protect or translocate older plants, that with the right care and attention it can regrow. There are some signs this is already happening.

However, regular cutting back and trimming would have avoided this situation from developing in the first place. So, as next steps, we will be encouraging the Council to work with us and local people to:

  • tidy and care for this section of wall now, with feeding, to maximise regrowth
  • establish a management plan for the whole green wall
  • set up budget and resources for regular maintenance, to ensure public access and safety along the pavement, optimum conditions for wildlife, and long term health of the green wall
  • incorporate the full linear extent of the green wall into the ‘MT30’ project, which is looking at the restoration of Madeira Terrace.
News on Madeira Drive green wall – recent loss, new planting and a change of scope
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News on Madeira Drive green wall – recent loss, new planting and a change of scope

A few recent happenings on Madeira Drive Green Wall – our natural backdrop to the eastern seafront.

1 – Recent loss of historic section of green wall

Building Green was saddened by recent action on 12 March to cut down a section of historic green wall next to the Volks workshop. Originally planted in 1872, approximately 6-8 Japanese spindle plants were cut, along with a large fig tree that was popular with local people. There was no prior notice or communication with Building Green.

This section of wall is part of the recently declared Local Wildlife Site – the only one of its kind in the UK.

The Council are commissioning a report into what happened, but the work is believed to have been a miscommunication relating to the creation of the new cycleway along Madeira Drive.

Building Green are hoping the spindle will grow back – our trials of copping these plants elsewhere along the green wall shows that they can regenerate, so we remain optimistic.

2 – Joining up the whole green wall with the MT30 project

Building Green is looking to prevent further miscommunication and ensure that the entire historic length of the green wall is considered as part of the regeneration of Madeira Drive.

As such we were pleased to have agreement from the Madeira Terraces MT30 project that the full length of green wall – east to the top of Duke’s Mound – will be included in the MT30 project.

3 – New planting at Duke’s Mound

Building Green has been unable to conduct any volunteer maintenance of the Duke’s Mound stretch of green wall during the pandemic.

However, Building Green’s Treasurer & Son have been quietly growing cuttings of Japanese spindle and will be planting these out in a recently re-surfaced section of the East cliff.

We are proud to see this volunteer action underway – as part of restoring the original extent of the green wall.

Clearing a recently resurfaced section of green wall ready for planting Japanese spindle

Update on the MT30 Project – Madeira Terrace restoration
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Update on the MT30 Project – Madeira Terrace restoration

An update in my role as environment sector rep on the Madeira Terrace stakeholder panel. As ever, send through any questions or concerns to me via the contact page.

Remember the purpose of the project is to select c30 arches for restoration, to improve the seafront, prove the case and build momentum for funding the remaining 121 arches.

The design team is now at RIBA Stage 2 (see below). This is the phase of design that starts to get interesting, with drawings and initial whole life costings. A 3D model and topographical survey are underway across the whole Terrace. We haven’t seen this yet but will share it when complete.

The original date for groundworks was October – unsurprisingly, this is delayed. The major work of planning consents and contractor procurement remain, a major decisions still to make.

What is exciting is that many of our original ideas have been put forward and developed further, including the potential for planting parts of the mid-level walk (‘Max’s walk’), ideas for natural stormwater management and sustainable energy creation, and of course the protection and enhancement of the Green Wall.

How many of these get through cost consultancy we will see. Certainly the Green Wall is recognised now as an integral part of Madeira Drive. I will continue to push for its retention, enhancement and restoration as part of the wider seafront environment.

James

The RIBA Plan of Work 2020 in 2019 — Architecture for London

Beautiful berries – this winter the green wall at Madeira Drive bears more fruit than average. Here are six interesting facts about this amazing plant
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Beautiful berries – this winter the green wall at Madeira Drive bears more fruit than average. Here are six interesting facts about this amazing plant

This year has been particularly good for Japanese spindle berries at the Madeira Drive green wall. Who knows why?

While we ponder that, here are some facts about this amazing plant.

  1. Seeds are propogated by birds
  2. It depends on bees, flies and hoverflies to pollinate the flowers
  3. It is very tolerant of salty conditions, and a wide range of soil types
  4. Roots and stems yield up to 7% gutta-percha, a non-elastic rubber used as an electrical insulator and in making plastics
  5. Decoctions from the bark are considered to be tonic, anti-rheumatic, anhidoritic and diuretic. Chinese women use the leaves to aid difficult childbirths
  6. It is host to a wide variety of invertebrates including Unaspis euonymi, a sap-sucking ‘scale’ insect; and dusty grey/black vine weevils, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, which can take notched nibbles out of leaf edges.
Japanese spindle tree in fruit against wall

Sources: https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/23206#tosummaryOfInvasiveness

Update from Building Green
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Update from Building Green

The following update was published today in the Brighton & Hove Green Spaces Forum winter newsletter.

BUILDING GREEN
Protecting the oldest, longest ‘green wall’ in the UK – Building Green needs advice and input. Building Green have been working with the Council, Portslade Green Gym and others for several years to bring Madeira Drive Green Wall the recognition it deserves. Now designated a Local Wildlife Site – the first of its kind in the UK – the green wall is home to over 100 species of flowering plant and is the oldest and longest green wall in the country, if not Europe.

Planted in 1872, the green wall originally covered over a mile of Brighton East Cliff below Kemp Town. Parts of the site have been lost and damaged over the years, but extensive stretches remain. Building Green have been leading its restoration – particularly at the Duke’s Mound end of Madeira Drive – and have a vision to protect, enhance and restore the green wall to its former extent.

The green wall pre-dates Madeira Terrace – the Grade II* structure which is the focus of work to restore and regenerate the East Brighton seafront. Building Green represent the Natural Environment on a stakeholder panel that was established by the Council to advise on this work, which is on track to begin with the restoration of 30 arches of the Terrace this autumn.

Building Green welcomes volunteers, who can get in touch through our website at https://building-green.org.uk/contact-us/ .

We also welcome input from Green Spaces Forum members on the restoration plans for Madeira Terrace – particularly in terms of the environmental components of the seafront and wider built and natural heritage.

Download the winter newsletter below.

newsletterdecember2020.docxDownload

Tour of Madeira Drive Green Wall at this year’s Green Architecture Sessions – come learn about this unique and threatened place at the heart of Brighton & Hove
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Tour of Madeira Drive Green Wall at this year’s Green Architecture Sessions – come learn about this unique and threatened place at the heart of Brighton & Hove

Green Architecture Sessions is the new ‘Green Architecture Day’ by Brighton Permaculture Trust.

11-1145 am, Saturday 3 October there will be a tour of Madeira Drive Green Wall by Building Green Founder James Farrell.

There are a number of great talks by inspiring speakers – so book your slot here.

Green Architecture Sessions 2020