Page background images and galleries: Scenes from the Woodland Ways circular walk by a WW volunteer

Voulunteer Tree image on front page by Sarah White: Creative Commons image

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Woodland Ways mission:

Education for sustainable development through local action and global awareness.

Discover our educational policy and vision here

Check out our volunteer page, you can

help change the landscape too!

January  2019

Newsletter

View, print or download

a  copy here

(.pdf file)

The 1951 coal shortage

Apparently there was a national coal shortage in 1951.  Moreton Hall did not exist then, but it may explain why Home Covert and Pond Covert look like they do.  When there's no coal, and don't forget that central heating was in its infancy then, people turn to wood.

Home Covert and Pond Covert trees are dominated by a single species, sycamore, which is a good coloniser of open ground.  And the sycamore seems to be all about the same size, so all the same age, perhaps at least 50 years old, perhaps older. 

So were the woods clear-felled in 1951 and not replanted, so they recolonised with sycamore?  Its only speculation, but perhaps one day we'll be able to count the rings on a sample of trees and find out. 

Other news and updates

Our Chair, Nick Sibbett, gave a talk to Moreton Hall Residents association about the history of woodland in Moreton Hall from 450,000 years ago to present, some of the wildlife in the woods and how we managed the woods. 

One person joined as a member that evening, which pleased him.

Forthcoming events

The 2019 programme is now out, and it includes an elm hunt.  Many elm trees died in the 1970s, but elm is fairly common in Moreton Hall. 

We'll need as many people as possible, to find it all and draw a map of what we've got.  Do come to that, or any other work party. 

Our future social events will be announced in the next newsletter.  

Assistance needed

We've got a strong trustees' team leading us, but there is alsways space for new trustees. 

If you are interested, ask at a work party or contact us - see more here.

Its common for people to attend the steering group a few times before deciding to stand for election.  Do give it a try!

Have you visited

Natterer's Wood

lately?

Page background images and galleries: Scenes from the Woodland Ways circular walk by a WW volunteer

Voulunteer Tree image on front page by Sarah White: Creative Commons image

Web site design, hosting and content by Thirdsectorweb | Part of SmithMartin LLP Graphic Design by Radha Clelland | Code development by Natasha Smith

This newsletter was generously sponsored by Whiting and Partners Chartered Accountants

Update January 2019

We are now on Twitter, follow us...

@NatterersWood

News from our woods

Natterer’s Wood

Fred , who laid most of the hedge at Natterer's Wood last year, has now finished laying the hedge this year.  Thanks, Fred! It looks wonderful; a traditional Suffolk craft in Moreton Hall for all to see.  And as the hedge grows it will be a very dense nesting habitat for many of our birds.  The laying did expose some gaps, which we will plant into - sadly the buckthorn we planted last year in some of the gaps didn't survive the summer drought.

There's been a suggestion that visitors to Natterer's Wood want more benches.  How about another one close to the existing log bench, for larger groups?  Or one part way up the hill?  A Public park specification seat costs around £1000 to buy and install, and we are thinking about more logs if we can source them.  Maybe there is a tree in one of our woods we could harvest?  After all, if we buy a wooden bench a tree has been felled to provide the wood!  But we also know that some people prefer seats with a backrest.  Let us know what you think is right for most Natterer's Wood visitors.

The end-of-year grass cuts were completed in Natterer's Wood this year for the first time in three years.  Despite severe resource issues within the Borough Council, we are pleased that the Landscape team managed to cut the grass this year. 

We are working on ways to make it easier for them in future; public finances are unlikely to ease.

Home Covert

We surfaced the path in Home Covert in December, using woodchips fro our very own Woodland Ways Pond. 

When St Edmundsbury Borough Council coppiced some trees there for us in February, they chipped the brash and delivered it to Home Covert for us.  Its great to use our own woodland products instead of having to buy in woodchips as we usually have to.