Site monitoring February 2010

Site monitoring has taken place (24th and 27th February) in connection with a review by UK RIGS of RIGS sites. Sites at Sherborne, Todber, Marnhull, Evershot, Bookham Farm and Maiden Newton were surveyed and conservation work on some of the sites is expected to take place in the spring of 2010. Further information can be obtained form Alan Holiday especially if you would like to help with the conservation work!

Rock Pit Farm March 2010

As a result of an initiative from Natural England through UK RIGS some money has been allocated for the review of RIGS sites. The DIGS group reviewed 10 of its sites last year and another 5 this spring. One of the sites looked at is Rock Pit Farm associated with an amenity area at Maiden Newton GR SY 594979. Although this has been a RIGS sites for many years little conservation work has been done in the last few years. A group of DIGS members have been hard at work and at the time of writing a section of around 40 m. of the old quarry face has been cleared of ivy and brambles as well as dumped rubbish so that the geology is visible. The exposure is of Lower Chalk very close to the boundary with the Upper Greensand as the material is very sandy. During the recent work some nice fossils were found including Scaphites and a very nice echinoid identified by Bob Christian as Cottaldia bennettiae (Koenig). If you are interested in helping with some conservation work please get in touch - fresh air, exercise, geology and something worthwhile!