Woodland Conservation Group (Fridays)
Jack Wood - Stoney Alley & The Green Chain Walk
16th October 2026
It was a rainy start to Friday, and it looked as though our Woodland Conservation session might be a little on the moist side! When we arrived to collect our tools, the two wheelbarrows had already accumulated several inches of water in the bottom. Fortunately, the forecast was right: the rain stopped around 10 am, and by the time our 17 volunteers split into three teams and set off for their activity locations, it was dry and bright.
Stoney Alley – Habitat Restoration - One team headed to the upper section of this ancient path. The slope between Stoney Alley and the Green Chain Walk is a tale of two distinct halves: a bright, open area with a variety of native trees and, adjoining it, a very dense area of holly with almost no woodland floor vegetation.
As Stoney Alley passes through this darker section, the path becomes very muddy and almost impassable in winter. We want to let more light reach the woodland edge and improve conditions alongside the path. Our volunteers split into smaller teams to remove selected holly and sycamore trees around the perimeter and from the slope immediately below Hospital Field. This work will allow more light to reach the woodland floor, encouraging a greater diversity of ground vegetation to develop.
Deadwood Recovery - Deadwood is a valuable woodland habitat. Fallen branches and decaying wood provide shelter and food for invertebrates and fungi, as well as contributing to the natural recycling of nutrients. Wherever possible, deadwood should be left to decay naturally, close to where it fell.
Sadly, increasing amounts of deadwood are being gathered up in the woodlands for dens and campfires. We certainly don't want to be killjoys, but we do need to protect the woodland for future generations. When we find four dens on a small slope, for example, we must consider the wider impact on the woodlands. There are several reasons why it matters:
Soil compaction: Repeated trampling, collecting wood and building structures can compact the soil, damage its structure and make it harder for water to penetrate and plants to grow.
Disturbance to wildlife: Regular human activity can disturb birds and other animals, potentially making the area less suitable for feeding, nesting or shelter.
Fire risk: Some of these structures in the woodlands are being used as camps, with fires. The fire brigade has attended fires on several occasions this year to prevent potentially serious fires.
Volunteers spent three whole hours redistributing the collected wood around the area! This will help return the slope to a more natural state while retaining the wood's value as woodland habitat.
Verges – Restoring the Woodland Edge - A third team continued the work started two sessions previously, tackling the brambles and bracken that had completely swamped the verge at the end of the formal gardens. Before recommencing, the team checked the clump for signs of wildlife activity, as well as making sure it was still safe to continue the activity. This team of four included someone taking a volunteer day from work – which we really appreciate.
This is a painstaking job requiring care and persistence and the team soldiered on, chatting about their activity and getting to know each other as they worked. Another metre-wide section was cleared back from the path edge along a good length of the verge, opening the pathway once again. But…there are still several more metres to clear if we are to restore the verge to a healthy mix of woodland plants and improve biodiversity throughout the area!
Great work by all the volunteers. And guess what? Our workplace volunteer enjoyed the day and plans to join us again soon. Isn't that wonderful?
Green Chain Walk – Opening to Castle Wood Rose Garden - Amazingly, our regular volunteers were joined for this activity by another three people taking a volunteer day from their respective workplaces. What a coincidence!
The group focused on clearing brambles and accumulated mulch from the sloping path joining the Castle Wood Rose Garden to the Green Chain Walk, adjacent to Rose Cottage. They couldn't wait to get stuck in! First, they uncovered the edge of the tarmac, pulled out nettles and brambles, and shovelled the rotted-down mulch covering the path back into the adjoining beds.
They then cleared the corner of the 'rockery garden', opening the sightline to the main path. Determined to finish the job properly, they removed brambles trailing across the small steps and path, before sweeping and shovelling up the remaining mulch. Another area of path is looking much improved, making it more accessible for mobility scooters, buggies and other path users.
We are very grateful to have been joined by these four workplace volunteers for the session. While we can’t accommodate large groups of work colleagues on our volunteer days, we can certainly integrate three or four people without running out of tools!
And, of course, there is always something to do!
