Small woodlands are just as important as forests

"Small woodlands in farmland have more benefits for humans per area, compared to large forests, according to a new study. The small woodlands, sometimes even smaller than a football field, can easily go unnoticed in agricultural landscapes. Yet, these small forest remnants can store more carbon in the topsoil layer, are more suitable for hunting activities and host fewer ticks than large forests."

We're not planning to do any hunting in Buckle's Wood, but read more about the research from Stockholm University.

Community Coffee Morning

9 - 11am, Thursday 14th November, Methodist Church

The lovely people who run the community coffee mornings have offered to donate the proceeds of tomorrow's event to our funds, which is appreciated, so please go along and enjoy. Sue Mackie plans to be there and will be happy to tell you about the wood, how it started, and what we'll do next. We're installing a new bench to replace the broken one (see previous post) and are planning to provide more activity days for the school and some equipment for keen naturalists of all ages to use.

New seat

This is the new seat we've ordered for the wood. It'll soon be installed to replace the broken one, thanks to everyone who answered our appeal for funds. We hope you'll enjoy sitting on it.

Elmsett school activities in the wood

Two educational support workers from The Green Light Trust spent Thursday 10th October in the wood with children from the school. Each class was involved in a different imaginative activity, learnt a lot and had a great deal of fun.

The oldest class built this new animal habitat, a safe place for overwintering wildlife, from pallets covered in vegetation, so there are lots of hidey-holes. They thought it might be called the Bugingham Hotel!

There were many opportunities to discuss all sorts of environmental issues, from litter to climate change. Each child wrote a short, “I wish” sentence about this.

Sue Mackie

Friends of Buckle's Wood

If you read the post about Paul Marshall's bench that needs to be replaced, it may have occurred to you that we need to buy another that will last at least as long as the old one. Although we have a healthy reserve, we'd like to keep it that way and raise funds for a replacement. Depending on how generous people are, the Buckle's Wood committee would also like to buy some equipment for use in the wood, such as a moth trap, a bat detector, some good field glasses, magnifying glasses and a microscope. They would be available for use in the school or hired for short periods upon payment of a deposit.

Would you like to become a Friend of Buckle's Wood? No need to make a regular commitment - any and all help gratefully received. You can make a one-off or occasional donation in one of several ways, or contribute regularly via a standing order. See the Friends' page for details.

Thanks in anticipation.
Margaret, Buckle's Wood Treasurer

Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay

Help wanted!

Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September, 2 to 4pm.

Please come along - the more the merrier! - and join the work party.

Tom Hitchcock will cut the wildflowers and grass along the edges of the rides on Thursday. To encourage more flowers next year the debris needs to be raked into heaps between the trees.
Last year a few OAPs did all the work - we could do with some younger helpers!

We'll supply the rakes! You do the work!

To find out more, please get in touch - see tab above.

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Update: Thanks to Janette Robinson, Margaret and Robert Funnel, Oswald Simpson, Sue and Paul Edwards, Fiona Potter and Mac, all the work was done on the 7th, so no one was needed on the 8th. Some areas of grass were knocked over by the topper and need to be strimmed down, but this won't take long.

Paul Marshall's bench

The Buckle's Wood Management Group bought this bench and dedicated it to Paul Marshall, Elmsett Primary School's head teacher, on his retirement. His enthusiastic support for creating our new community woodland was a vital element of its success!

                                Paul and Christine trying it for size in December 2007

The weather has taken its toll over the years and sadly the bench had to be removed last weekend.

We hope to raise funds to replace it in the near future!

Have you seen these?

Small heath butterfly

Matt Garnham took these photos in the wood last month. A former pupil of Elmsett Primary, he has a great knowledge of the natural world.

Bee orchid

And he takes lovely pictures!

Summer flowers and butterflies

This early summer the wood has looked great. Lots of wildflowers and now the butterflies are out and about. This Large Skipper--enjoying the sunshine, spread its wings long enough for me to get my camera focused!