Woodland Conservation

Tuesday, 24th June, 2025

Shepherdleas Wood

Another hot June day but, fortunately, it was overcast so our volunteers weren't as much in need of hats! We had a very respectable group of 10 wonderful volunteers who continued the great work they have been carrying out in the vicinity of the ‘red path’. This is the tarmac path which runs alongside the railway line from Eltham Park North to Falconwood.

While previous activities focussed on removing holly and other competitive and invasive shrubs/trees from the verges, attention for this session turned towards helping improve the woodland floor vegetation.  Having identified and mapped areas of wood anemone  (an indicator of ancient woodland), one team of volunteers pulled brambles in one area of growth to both allow more water and light to reach the ground and to provide more space for this species to spread.  As wood anemone is a slow-growing species, it could be a little time before we see the results of this but it also provides the space and conditions for other flowers like bluebells to spread.

Meanwhile, a second group worked on improving the informal pathway which runs from the bridge across the A2 from Eltham Park South.  This path has served the locals for many years but, as it has increasingly narrowed as holly trees have grown and brambles are reaching across the path, several other desire paths have opened up creating a highly fragmented area.  So, the shrubbery was trimmed back, allowing improved access, whilst, at the same time, preventing further widening of this route.  Hopefully, people will return to using this main pathway and the newer ones will begin to recover as it disappears under the vegetation once more.