Winter Woodland Walk

On the shortest day of the year, the Felbeck Trust Habitat Management sub-group walked around Spurrell’s Wood to discuss the practical conservation tasks for the year ahead. In the foggy gloom with water dripping from the trees it would be easy to think that nature was at rest. But no! The emerging hazel and alder catkins were the first tentative signs of new life to come. And we also found a hawthorn, that is pictured, who thinks its still Summer; in full green leaf when all of its companion thorns were completely bare!

We decided that the priority should be to continue the coppicing of the hazel stools, as this will be the most effective way of introducing more light, both to encourage regeneration of the flora and to create sunny glades for the benefit of butterflies and insects.

There is no general access to Spurrell's Wood during habitat restoration work