If you go down to the woods today...
Residents and visitors will notice that there’s a surprising amount of activity going on at one of the county’s favourite parks this springtime.
Efforts to protect and preserve Hartshill Hayes Country Park are being stepped up thanks to new funds for active woodland management and Warwickshire County Council is starting a programme of work at the park from Monday 20 February.
Keith Higginson, Country Parks Land Manager, for Warwickshire County Council said: “We know that Hartshill Hayes Country Park is a special place and our aim is to manage, protect and enhance the woodland now and for future generations. However, contrary to popular belief, woodland does not thrive without careful management.
“In some areas, indiscriminate felling and replanting has resulted in even-aged, leggy growth, which does not favour wildlife or the plants and flowers that make the wood so special.
“By taking out trees that are crowding others we are giving the trees that are healthy and beneficial to the wildlife the best chance of survival and it will help to maintain and preserve the habitat that so many little creatures live in.”
“We have been fortunate in obtaining some grant aid and have taken advice from our own forestry experts in order to plan the work. In addition to the tree work, we will be improving some of the footpaths in the next couple of months, thanks to some funding from the Countryside Agency.”
County Councillor Richard Grant, the local Member for Hartshill said: ”We know how much local residents and visitors value the woods and we want to reassure everyone that we are doing our best to look after the area. We will be favouring the mature trees in order to let them grow on to become ancient trees and managing the woods in order to ensure they are a special place for future generations.”
Residents are invited to join staff on a woodland management walk on Saturday 4 March at 11am, where there will be an opportunity to meet up with the contractors ‘Future Forests’ and see what is being done. Those wishing to attend should call 01827 872660 for more details.
Hartshill also has a volunteer group who assist with woodland management tasks and caring for the woods. Anyone interested in volunteering opportunities at Hartshill or Warwickshire’s other country parks can call on the same number.
A fact sheet on the woodland management at Hartshill is available on the county council website http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/countryside together with a questionnaire on the future of Hartshill Hayes.