4 months ago we started clearing the holly on the SSSI side of the wood, and the optimistic aim was to finish the job in 6 months. While we don't think we'll quite meet that target the work is making a real difference, letting in light to the woodland floor and revealing surprisingly diverse and beautiful parts of the wood previously hidden by dense dark holly growth. We're working in the north of the wood adjacent to the end of the pond which floods in the winter and dries to a small stream and boggy area from Spring to Autumn. Before we started we could just glimpse through the holly 5 or 6 large oaks bracketed by two huge Scots Pines, all of which must have been planted well over a hundred years ago. In addition there is a large number of small beech which have been protected from the deer by the holly - so it does have its uses. The holly in this area had grown 30-40ft high, closing the canopy leaving only naked holly stems reaching up through the dense shade. The cleared area is becoming transformed; the oaks and Scots Pines can now be seen properly, the sun can get in, and patches of sky can now be seen. When it's all done we'll make a holly trunk seat to encourage the sitting and enjoying of a tranquil, atmospheric spot.
Another current project is the cutting of a track/bluebell walk running from South to North, starting just North of the birch clearing adjacent to the new entrance and car park. The track will allow in light from the South, and meander through the birch wood passing oaks, rowan and beech, joining the Ride via the 'deer scallop' created a couple of years ago by the deer stalkers. Once the track is done, the birch on either side will be pollarded, and finally, hazel, propagated from the wood, will be planted in front of the pollarded birch to create a graded woodland edge.
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| There are a few patches of bluebells , increased light will soon encourage them to spread. |
