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18 November 2008
Local volunteers improve ancient woodland
Funding enables important work at Corby reserve
Local people living near King’s Wood Local Nature Reserve in Corby have been busy improving the woodland over the past year, thanks to £7,000 of funding.
The donation, from WREN through the Gift Aid Scheme from the Landfill Communities Fund, enabled The Wildlife Trust to engage new volunteers and support them to get involved in the care of their woodland as part of the ‘Fit for a King’ project at this woodland reserve.
Last winter Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers carried out traditional coppicing and tree thinning, allowing light to reach the ground encouraging a wide range of woodland plants and insects to flourish. Contractors carried out pollarding and crown raising work along one of the wetter rides to open the area up allowing light to penetrate and dry out the boggy path. In August, ten willing volunteers got involved in cutting, raking and removing all the vegetation on the rides and glades, preventing the dominance of a few competitive species and allows rarer plants to thrive.
King’s Wood is a fantastic green space in the heart of the town owned by Corby Borough Council, and managed by The Wildlife Trust. Over 250 species of plants have been recorded, including dog’s mercury, enchanter’s-nightshade and yellow archangel – all characteristic of ancient woodlands. Birds such as treecreeper, nuthatch, tawny owl, and all three species of woodpecker are also resident.
The woodland is used by the communities that live nearby, as somewhere to escape into the wilderness. A new ‘Friends of Kings Wood’ group have been carrying out monthly litter picks, and are keen to improve the ponds and become more involved in the practical management of the wood.
For more information about the project and how you can get involved, please contact Tamzin Smith on 01604 405285 or email Tamzin.Smith[at]wildlifebcnp.org