Woodland Conservation Group (Fridays)

Jack Wood

Friday, 20th February 2026

What an occasion! Today, we welcomed our 100th unique Friday Woodland Conservation Volunteer since we began recording data in 2022. Additionally, there were a further three new volunteers - all very welcome additions to our dedicated volunteering team!

They blended well into our core group and helped contribute yet another 50 hours to protecting and restoring Jack Wood. Introductions were made; Health and Safety talk was provided; then our existing volunteers were split into two separate groups while our leader took aside the new volunteers for some induction and instruction.

Welcomes for all!

Most of the group set to work once again in the protected area alongside the Green Chain Walk, removing some of the large holly trees and shrubs which were preventing light from reaching the woodland floor, as well as impacting the growth of the oak trees in the area. 

Overgrown holly trees block the light on the woodland floor, preventing ground vegetation from establishing.

Great teamwork took place; the volunteers divided themselves into three separate teams: the felling team, the processing team and the hedging team.  Once settled into the system, everyone had a chance to chat while they worked and to get to know their workmates a little more.  The area now is lighter, clearer and better protected from fragmentation and erosion.

 A second group of four experienced volunteers headed straight up to very top leg of Stoney Alley carrying a stash of wooden posts.  Their task for today was to continue the post and binder fence at the bottom of the bluebell slopes, built to prevent this precious, ancient woodland species, from being trampled.

After an introduction to post and binder fences by one of our leaders, the team split up, with one person using an axe to cut the bottom of the posts to a point; another creating holes in the stoney ground with an iron bar; and the final two took hold of the heavy iron post-hat and began bashing the posts into the ground.  By break, all the posts were inserted and, following a cuppa, a biscuit, and of course a rest and a chat, the team set off to collect all the binders from our store. 

Once recovered, instruction was provided on how to insert the binders between the posts, making sure they were placed as if it was one, continuous piece and, once they got the idea, the fence was completed in a short time. There was even a little time to pull some of the brambles which were pushing through the fence and extending onto the path.

Another dry session, working with like-minded people, was over and what a sociable session it was too!  How lucky we were!

The break offers an opportunity for a rest and a chat.

Thank you to all who volunteered - both our regular volunteers and those who joined for the first time. Every hour contributed makes a difference in our aims to protect and restore this ancient woodland for future generations.