Celebrating £100 million In Funding Awarded

Do you live locally to one of the 12 woodland sites? If so, Biffaward wants to hear from you!

Are the improvements benefiting the community?

Have you volunteered during any of the improvements?

Do you have any photos of the woodlands and the woodland volunteers?

Email your comments, photos and questions to media@rswt.org

Biffaward has designed a fantastic leaflet surrounding the £100 million celebration project. To download this leaflet please click here.

A major clearance of dumping from the river has been completed. It yielded many trolleys, several bikes, a bed, traffic cones and a huge quantity of other litter. This has made an immediate major improvement to the site. The restoration of steps and pathways has been completed. A new entrance sign has also been installed.
The wood is already much more welcoming for local people following the clearance of litter and dumping. Local volunteers organise two annual clean-ups in conjunction with the community council and the local Tesco.

Initial discussions have been held with the neighbouring high school regarding a major conservation event in June 2009. The event will see 160 first year pupils undertaking volunteer work and other projects to learn about the woodlands ecosystem and the sites history.

For more information surrounding this woodland please visit:
www.wt-woods.org.uk/BeeslackWood

Work has commenced on access works to the site. The main track leading from the road to the top of the site is now cleared. Footpath clearance around the site has also been undertaken, ready for more major path work to begin. The initial path clearance work has already made the entrance much more inviting for visitors. The first phase of conifer removal has taken place on the area of ancient woodland, favouring the surrounding hardwoods.

Discussions with local stone wallers have taken place over the construction of the dragon, which is to feature within the woodland.
Discussions have also taken place with the Stockbridge Steel Valley project who are keen to help out with volunteers.

For more information surrounding this woodland please visit:
www.wt-woods.org.uk/BitholmesWood

Two thought-provoking pieces of art have been commissioned on a site which already boasts some extremely popular sculptures forming a walking trail and inspiring visitors.
Artists have begun drawing up the ideas for the sculptures, which will add to Hedley Hall's ability to interpret woodland and the local landscape for visitors. Both sculptures will be designed, created and installed by the end of May 2009.
The wood is very popular with dog walkers and local people, who are using the wider network of paths in the area. Entrances and pathways are maintained regularly.

For more information surrounding this woodland please visit:
www.wt-woods.org.uk/HedleyHall

A new all-access track has been installed through the wood, helping to protect the previous historic sunken path from further wear and tear. Sweet chestnuts, a feature of the wood, have also been cut back to open up the old path and help it dry out.
New fencing has now been iconstructed creating boundaries to the wood and making legitimate access to Views Wood, with its abundant bluebells in Spring, far easier for local people. There have been no further signs of damage caused by bikes since fencing was installed.

For more information surrounding this woodland please visit:
www.wt-woods.org.uk/ViewsWoodTheWilliamsWood

Substantial improvements to the path network are underway at Woodhouse Hill, part of the Snidley Moor woodland complex, opening the wood up to a wide cross section of people and increasing public safety. Invasive species are being removed with some new tree planting replacing shrubs, and litter picking has also commenced. This has made it more inviting for visitors and opened up views along paths, increasing public safety.

For more information surround this woodland please visit:
www.wt-woods.org.uk/SnidleyMoor

Our volunteer Woodland Wardens (12 adults and 20 teenagers) have already started the clearance of briars and other overgrown vegetation to allow a new path to the pond area, complete with stone bridge, from the main pathway network. A seat will be installed for visitors to the pond, whose numbers have increased.

Tools have been brought for our Woodland Wardens which include pruning saws, secateurs, safety equipment, bow saws and wellingtons etc.

Repeated damage to the wood from motorbikes is being tackled by boundary improvements through hedge laying and strengthening of existing wood boundaries to increase the visiting public's quiet enjoyment of this ancient woodland and stabilise the future of its wildlife. Entrances are being improved and footpath edges mowed.

Improvements to start 2009.

For more information surrounding this woodland please visit:
www.wt-woods.org.uk/PilesCoppice

Plans at Nor Wood include providing a link pathway from the bridleway route to Owler Car Lane, which is a popular entrance and exit from the site. The Woodland Trust want to also improve the surface of a number of footpaths that have suffered erosion; undertake essential drainage improvements to footpaths to prevent water logging; carry out works to entrances and to cut back encroaching vegetation around footpaths.

Path improvements so far and installation of some additional fencing to guide horse riders around the site, has improved conditions on pathways and for pedestrians as well. This makes the wood a more inviting place.

Wentwood Forest is home to a rich diversity of important habitats and wildlife and is the remnant of a vast forest once stretching from the River Usk to the Wye Valley. The Trust will be resurfacing over 200 metres of track to create all-weather visitor access. This will enable a greater number of people, including those with access difficulties, to enjoy this fantastic natural resource.

Improvements will start in May 2009.

The Woodland Trust aims to bring Merry Hill woodland alive for visitors by creating interesting and innovative on-site interpretation through working in conjunction with local schools.
The aim of the competition would be for local schools to design four sculptures themed around the four seasons. These would then be interpreted by a local artist and erected on site. Sculptures to be unveiled in 2009.

Major track upgrade is now completed.

Woodland improvements have commenced to the entrance, car parking area, and the path network within the wood. These improvements will make Greyfield more amenable and accessible to visitors. As the wood is such an important gateway for people to explore the local area, this work is vital to ensure visitors have the opportunity to enjoy and learn to respect their local environment.

New signage, pathway and hedge improvements will enhance this important site, historically associated with naturalist Charles Darwin and renowned for its wildflowers.

Volunteers have helped clear an eight acre species-rich area of newly restored chalk grassland, to be grazed by sheep over the winter. Encroaching scrub is also being cleared and some tree clearance will allow light into woodland glades and open up views.
Coppicing work is due to start early 2009.