Woodland Conservation

Tuesday, 15th April 2025

Shepherdleas Wood

Well, what a wet start for Tuesday’s Woodland Conservation Group session! However, this was certainly something we needed in the woods for the trees, the fauna and to keep those newly-dug ponds topped up. Fortunately, the rain stopped just in time for our six volunteers to start the session’s activities.

We began by making improvements to the verges, while aiming to leave the ground undisturbed. We reduced the height of some of the taller holly trees to about 1.2-1.5m, creating a hedge effect.  Now light can reach the paths, helping them dry out quicker, and, hopefully, more plants will grow in this previously shaded area. This process also helps prevent further widening of the path.  

As part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), waste materials must remain on site. Some cuttings were placed in a discreet location, allowing them to rot down naturally. Others were used to create a dead hedge reducing three separate desire paths to just one. Let’s hope walkers stick to that one path from now on. Finally, another nearby fallen tree was cut back to the path edge to allow better access.

After a well-earned break, the group moved further on along the route and carried out the same mix of activities further north on the Green Chain Walk. That’s another 18 hours of volunteer time donated to conserving the woodlands. Thanks volunteers!  

Dead hedging protects areas of the woodland from trampling - one of three desire paths has been left in place.

A fallen tree has been cut back from the path.