Safer Paths for Squirrels – and Us! 🌿
We’re thrilled to share some important progress in Howes Wood – thanks to the generous support of Island Roads, we’ve taken a big step towards making the woodland safer and more accessible for both our volunteers and future visitors.
Island Roads kindly donated four heavy-duty drainage pipes, each two metres long, to help us create stable and discreet bridges across the ditches that run through the wood. Previously, we had to balance on logs to cross these ditches – not ideal, especially when carrying tools or working in wet weather!
Yesterday, Sean from Island Roads delivered the pipes, and today stalwart volunteer Rod (that’s him in the digger 📸) and Trust founder and chairwoman Helen Butler MBE headed down with the necessary machinery to get them into place. With the digger’s help, each pipe was carefully laid into its ditch and covered with soil.
The result? A series of strong, invisible bridges that allow water to flow freely while providing a sturdy crossing point above. They’re solid enough to support the weight of the digger, so they’ll be more than enough for boots and barrows!
These improvements not only make our work in the woods much safer but also bring us a step closer to being able to invite community groups and visitors to experience Howes Wood. Once the paths are safe and secure, we’ll be delighted to welcome schools, nature lovers, and of course, red squirrel supporters to see what we’re working so hard to protect.
A special thank you to Abby Rugg at Island Roads for arranging this donation – your help is hugely appreciated!
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue preparing the wood for safe public access. We’re getting there, slowly but surely!
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