Woodland Conservation

17th January 2025

Our first 2025 Woodland Conservation Group got off to a great start yesterday with a terrific turnout of 22 volunteers racking up over 60 hours!

The slopes above Lower Path, are now being cleared of the huge stands of holly which cast shadow on the woodland floor and dead hedges are being built to both provide habitat for wildlife and prevent trampling of the saplings which are growing nearby. Thanks all!

To join our volunteers, contact Christine at: Oxleas.volunteers@gmail.com

We use any thin, or bent trunks to mark out the line of the new hedge.

And, halfway through, we have a break and a chat in the woods, getting to know new people. What a great way to spend time! Don’t hesitate to get in touch and see for yourself.

Busy, busy, busy!

This long stretch of hedge has been created without posts by pushing the holly brash in at different angles, which knits it together. It needs to be very densely packed without posts.

Curved trunks are inserted into the hedges to add stability as well as to provide habitat for some wildlife as it breaks down. Other logs are left in piles to break down naturally.

The straight trunks are used to make fence posts. Here Chris is showing Joshua how to sharpen the bottom of the posts into a point for easy insertion into the ground.

Joshua making some posts.

Firstly, we remove the lower branches from the trunks and put it aside for hedging.