Sunday December 5th 2021 - Work Party

 

We didn't have a work party in November as we met on 31st October but this means that we have come to leaf raking after all the leaves have fallen and we won't have to do it again until next year.  It also means lots of leaves!

Piles

With a good number of volunteers, raking the leaves into piles all around the woodland didn't take too long but going round picking them up and barrowing  to make a leaf pile at the top of the wood took bit longer, even with a quad bike helping.

More piles!

Meanwhile, Richard was busy removing the top of the noticeboard to take home and repair.

More leaves in The Glade

Had a chat with Mr Robin

Glenn arrived with some mulch for the hedge so that got done too. To be finished next time.

Action shot!

All that effort kept us warm and worked up a thirst so it was lovely to meet up in the glade for mulled wine and apple cake, thanks Claire and Sally-Ann, and a good chat. 

Happy Christmas from the woodland group and see you in the new year. 

Halloween - October 31st 2021

 

After cancelling last year's Halloween event it was good to light the fire pit and gather again this year. 

A few of us met in the afternoon to set up the trail and got the fire pit ready. The sun came out after a blustery, wet morning.

I was so glad to see lots of people in the evening. Hot punch was served and marshmallows toasted on the fire. Here's some pictures.

 Thank-you to everyone that helped and came. 

Work party - Sunday 3rd October 2021

 

It hasn't changed much since last month!

A small, select band of volunteers this month but the weather was kind after a lot of rain on Saturday. I didn't mow the paths as it was a bit wet and we didn't have much petrol, there is a bit of a fuel shortage at the moment.

I finished off turning the compost heap,  which I started last time.

The last bit of the new hedge along the road verge was weeded and some sycamore saplings on the corner removed to allow the growth of the fruit trees there. This is the beginning of the plan to rejuvenate the hedge along the track.

Meanwhile, in the den area the long awaited work finally took place. We put some in shorter posts to encourage the hazel to grow upwards, rather than outwards, and also added some longer poles to give a better definition of the whole den shape. 

The next work party will be on 31st October preparing for the return of the Halloween pumpkin trail.  

Work party - Sunday 5th September 2021

 

 

September already and this is the main path looking dry. A beautiful morning and a willing band of volunteers. 

The den

We are hoping to improve the den now the hazel are finally starting to grow, it has taken several years to get going. This month we managed to find some suitable poles to cut from the woodland and work will continue next time. 

Plums ripening 

You can see how dry it is here, not much vegetation growing now. In the distance, Richard cleaning the picnic table yet again. We are looking for a better solution to keeping it useable.

The vegetation was cleared from around the new hedge, planted in December.

Woodpecker damage in the Baldwin apple tree

Work Party - Sunday 1st August 2021

A productive work party today. Before and after photos of the long grass clearing. We also cut some smaller areas and mowed all the paths. The woodland is looking a lot more cared for now a d surprisingly green for August. 

Tiny frog found on a damp evening stroll in the week.

July 2021

 I didn't manage to write a blog for the July work party. We did have one on the first Sunday of the month, as planned, but only 4 of us as everyone was busy doing other things. Nevertheless, we got a bit of long grass strimmed and raked off. I also forgot my phone so no photos. 

Had a walk round the woodland to this evening, very warm but still quite lush. Very pleased to find a stag beetle and the best crop of redcurrants that we have had. Not sure how long they will last though.

Stag beetle

Redcurrants 

Gooseberries too!

News catch up - Sunday 13th June 2021

 

Since the last blog post, we have had lots of rain throughout May finally followed by a hot weather in June and the woodland vegetation grew faster than ever before.

The cow parsley grew really tall, it looked amazing but flopped over the paths and we had to do an interim mow and strim before it was used by the Lightwave Community for  'Wild Church'.

On 6th June, the first Sunday of the month,  which would have been our usual work party day, we had our annual plant sale. It was cancelled last year so it was good to be able to hold it again, the first in person village event since last March!

We held it in the village hall garden We had perfect summer weather and raised just over £500.

This Sunday, we caught up with the woodland tasks. Mowing and strimming, and using our new wooden rakes. 

All neat and tidy, but not too tidy!

Sunday 2nd May 2021 - Work Party

 

Cowslips

A fine morning and lots of volunteers again. Having had such a good work party last month, we were able to take on more fiddly tasks this time.

The paths and glades were mown and strimmed, not such a minor job actually but important in keeping the welcoming atmosphere of the woodland. The long, main path had a concentrated effort in weeding and raking the edges. We removed the dead grass, and targeted sycamore seedlings and bramble roots. 

A log in the glade has been completely destroyed by badgers looking for insects so this was tidied up and new logs rolled into place.

The bluebells planted along the stream at the top are flowering. They were carefully weeded round, cutting back the cow parsley so that we can see them and encouraging them to spread, hopefully.

We gathered at the end with our drinks to discuss the forthcoming plant sale. Make a note of the date, Sunday 6th June. 

On Tuesday 4th May, a report was given to the Annual Village meeting, via zoom, about the work of the Woodland Group over the last 2 years. There wasn't a meeting last year because of Covid restrictions. If I can work out how to add it to the blog, I will.

Red campion

Sunday 11th April 2021 - Work Party (Hurrah!)

 

Cherry blossom and blue skies in the woodland.

There was a big turnout and some new recruits for our first work party of 2021. I had a long list of jobs but we got them all done. 

The first job was to move the brash, twiggy bits, from the felled trees on to the dead hedge line which goes along the boundary of the wood.

 

We had a bit of help with collecting the logs and piling them up for sale in the future.

The hedge, planted in December, was mulched a thick layer of organic matter to will stop the weeds growing and help to keep as much moisture in the soil as possible. This will give the hedge plants the best chance to grow.

It's a never ending job, clearing the brambles from the path edges and some more of this was done today. Some Ragged Robin plants were added to the damp area and grass seed sown on the bare soil where the pipe was laid. 

The picnic table was cleaned ready for use again.

Hazel trees were planted a number of years ago to form the structure of the den and have taken a long time to get going but are finally putting on some growth. The den area was given a tidy up with the dead bits removed and the trees mulched. 

Plum blossom 

Top end of the wood greening up.

Other small jobs included lightly pruning the fruit bushes and pulling back the vegetation around the new bluebells, just coming into flower. 

 

Time for a socially distanced drink at the end.