Wildlife Friends and more!
‘Wildlife Friends’ will soon be appearing on the nature reserve! Thanks to funding from the One Stop Community Partnership programme, we have commissioned seven chainsaw carvings of birds and animals to create added interest along the paths. We hope that even the youngest children will enjoy exploring the trails to spot the sculptures, and that it will be another attraction to encourage people of all ages to visit and value what this small green space offers. Judging by the positive response to our ‘Betty the Badger’ bench, already installed near the Maple Way end of the reserve, the new carvings are sure to meet with approval. A similar bench is now being carved to enable people to sit near the bird feeding station at the Alder Road end of the path as the activity of our local birds there is a joy to watch. Expect Freddy the Fox to make an appearance in the New Year.
Our Beech Bank project is almost completed, made possible by grants from our County and District Councillors, and Headley Parish Council. Planting the twenty-five Beech and Hornbeam trees was quite a task in the early spring. We’ve added some hazel varieties with purple and red leaves for extra colour whilst also providing cover and food for wildlife. We are pleased to report that all the new additions survived the summer drought, along with the other young trees planted in Erie Wood and Maple Spinney last year. We did lose some of the young primroses and cowslips, so if anyone is splitting up clumps that have spread too far in their gardens, we can give any surplus plants a good home. One local resident kindly gave us several sacks of daffodil bulbs so spring should bring swathes of yellow around the reserve in addition to the bluebells, snowdrops and crocus usually on display.
The trustees are very grateful to all those who wrote to us with words of encouragement after the theft of our bear sculpture, Montgomery of Erie Wood. Many of you also donated to a fund for the installation of a new bear with added security fittings that have increased the cost considerably. It was really wonderful to learn how much the nature reserve is appreciated by local people, and by former residents who may have moved far away but still have fond memories of Headley Down and visit when they can. Thanks to your support, a replacement bear is on the way and will be installed with bolts, concrete and hopes that Monty II will be a feature in the heart of Erie Wood for years to come.
