There’s been plenty of activity at the woodland recently, with our wonderful volunteers hard at work and the woodland itself responding beautifully to all the care it’s been given. Here’s a round-up of the latest progress.
A roof goes on the hide
Steve and John fitting the waterproof sheets to the roof of the new hide.
Steve and John have been busy putting the waterproof sheets on the roof of the hide. Built from timber harvested here in the woodland, the hide is really taking shape now and once the roof is finished it will give us a sheltered spot from which to quietly watch the wildlife (red squirrels included, we hope!) without disturbing it. It will be a valuable addition for our volunteers and visiting groups alike.
Bridging the gap
Steve hard at work building a bridge across one of the ditches.
Steve has also constructed a sturdy little bridge across one of the ditches. It may look simple, but crossings like this make a real difference, allowing volunteers and visitors to move safely around the site, especially in the wetter months when the ditches are doing their job of carrying water away.
New trees coming along nicely
The wild cherry planted last autumn, growing well in its protective guard.
The wild cherry Helen Butler MBE planted last autumn is coming on nicely, putting out plenty of fresh, healthy growth. Wild cherry is a lovely native tree for the woodland, its spring blossom is a magnet for pollinators, and in time its fruit will provide food for birds and small mammals.
A self-seeded hazel, nature lending a hand with the replanting.
Just as pleasing is a self-seeded hazel that is looking really good. There’s something especially satisfying about trees that arrive all by themselves, a real sign that the woodland is regenerating naturally. And of course, hazel is a firm favourite of red squirrels, so every new hazel is an investment in their future larder.
Life at the pond
The first flag iris flower opening beside the pond.
Down at the pond there’s exciting news: the flag iris has its first flower out, a cheerful splash of yellow at the water’s edge, and the other pond plants are all looking well. Best of all, water beetles have appeared, and have clearly given the pond their seal of approval! Water beetles are often among the very first creatures to colonise a new pond, and their arrival is a promising sign that this little habitat is well on its way to becoming a thriving home for all sorts of wildlife.
It’s wonderful to see how quickly the pond is establishing itself, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on what turns up next.
Thank you
A huge thank you, as always, to our brilliant volunteers, none of this would happen without them. Every roof sheet fitted, bridge built and tree nurtured brings us a step closer to protecting and enhancing this special woodland for the Isle of Wight’s red squirrels and for future generations.
If you would like to get involved with volunteering with us (it needn’t be at the woodland if that’s not your thing), then click here to register your interest: Become a Volunteer – Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust
If you would like to support our work you can click here to Donate – Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust