A monthly round-up from the Friends of Thorne Community Wood:
Over the last month the Friends of Thorne Community Wood have been undertaking maintenance work on fences and hedges. Where possible the Friends use materials sourced on site, and so they cut back branches and shrubs that were encroaching on paths to be used in the repairs.
The Friends also had to make preparations so that the drainage board can bring machinery on site to work on the ditches. This work is especially important in light of the recent flooding. There was lots of work to be done by the volunteers, especially due to the fact that a lot of their routine maintenance work is behind schedule this year due to flooding and then COVID-19. Thankfully the task days were well attended, with an influx of new volunteers, and the extra hands were a great help.
Summer is now coming to an end, and this is the time of year that the wood has the final cut whilst the site is still reasonably dry. This should keep the main paths and firebreaks clear until next spring, and is necessary to prevent them from being slowly taken over by trees and vegetation.
Thorne Community Wood was among several local sites used as locations for the John Muir Conservation Award (www.johnmuirtrust.org/john-muir-award). The award encourages people to engage with wild places and to learn more about conservation. This particular instance of the award was organised by the Isle of Axholme and Hatfield Chase Landscape Partnership (ioahc.net). Sharp-eyed visitors may also have noticed fairy doors popping up down the wood recently.
The Friends are always on the lookout for more volunteers. There are many ways to help out, such as helping to run events, undertaking practical conservation work, or assisting with admin or fundraising activities. For more information about the wood, or for details on how to get involved, you can contact the Friends by leaving a message on 07902 772695, email at info@thornecommunitywood.org or by getting in touch on their Facebook page.
