Woodland Tidying

One of the first tasks we undertook when the woods were transferred was to tidy up the many cut and fallen branches that were scattered in the woodlands together with garden shrub branches and other brash that had been dumped by some adjacent householders. Over several winter weekends volunteer working parties gathered this material into habitat piles where it will provide a refuge for wildlife; especially birds such Wren and Dunnock; mice and other small mammals; and a wide range of invertebrates. Piling the material together also aids decay and clears the ground for woodland flowers like the carpets of Bluebells that were evident in Hopeward and Crow Woods.

This activity ceased at the end of the winter when there was a risk that emerging Bluebells would be damaged and bird nesting activity was beginning.