Print page
Our work here
10 February 2011
Church Wood is managed with minimal intervention to allow dead wood to provide natural habitats for wildlife. Modest management, with regular support from two groups of local volunteers, ensures a superb and very beautiful local amenity.
Non-native species such as sycamore, which grow rapidly and eventually shade out less competitive species, are removed or thinned. The meadow is mown annually to enable wildflowers to flourish and the grass mowings are heaped up into piles for insects and reptiles to bask on in warm sunshine.
The woodland's glades and rides provide vital habitat for insects and butterflies, so these are managed as open spaces to let the sun in.
In summer, volunteers prevent the network of paths from becoming overgrown with vegetation, so that visitors can enjoy walking through the wood; the woodland is also inspected regularly in case of a fallen tree on a path.
With thanks to...
This nature reserve is supported by various charitable trusts, RSPB local groups and supporters.