Category Archives: Workparties

Coppicing in Ox Close Wood

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Coppicing is one of the oldest forms of wood management in the UK. Trees are cut down to their stumps, which are known as stools, to encourage new shoots to grow. The stools are cut in rotation and so the different areas of regrowth provide a wide range of habitats. Coppicing provides a renewable source of wood and the cycle can carry on indefinitely.

Nick preparing stakes

In Ox Close Wood, the hazel has been coppiced by Leeds Coppice Workers and the stools now need to be protected to prevent deer from eating the new shoots. This project has been led by two of our volunteers Nick and Lin. Stakes have been placed around the stools and cages made from brash placed around them. They have been assisted by Open Country, Leeds Wealth Fund volunteers and our Friday volunteer team.

Leeds Wealth Fund volunteers
Open Country using brash to make cages
Martin, Open Country volunteer, making a cage
Melanie and Mina, two of our Friday volunteer team

Sunday Work Party 25th April 10.30 – 12

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All ages are welcome. Please meet at the Elliker nature reserve in East Keswick at 10.30am. The entrance is between numbers 21 and 23 The Paddock. Bring gloves, a drink and a snack.

Calling all nature detectives! For children there will be a scavenger hunt and owl workshop to participate in.

For older children and adults we will be be laying a floor in one of our storage containers and making guards to protect our trees.

March Weekend Work Party

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Our first weekend work party got off to a great start with approximately 40 adults and children attending. The children initially learnt about the Yellow Fish campaign, that only water should go down the drain, as in our village the drains lead directly into the beck. They then made harvest mice homes out of used tennis balls and placed them on stakes around East Keswick Marsh. Other members of the work party tackled the snowberry which has become an invasive species in the marsh.

Learning about the ‘Yellow Fish’ campaign
Stuffing the tennis balls with straw to make cosy homes for the harvest mice
Clearing the snowberry

Hedge laying at the Marsh

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A number of the Trust’s volunteers took part in a hedge laying course recently and over the last 3 weeks have completed laying the hedge along the edge of the Marsh. Over time hedges can become hollow at the base and provide little shelter for wildlife. Hedge laying is a traditional skill that rejuvenates the hedge from the base to provide a stock proof barrier and dense habitat for wildlife. You can admire their work as you walk past on Main Street.