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Are you a friend of Hob Hey Wood?

14 May 2018

We're seeking people to get involved with caring for Frodsham's Hob Hey Wood – a rare remnant of Ancient Woodland within The Mersey Forest.
Working with local residents, we want to set up a Friends' Group for this vital woodland – helping to ensure that it is properly managed and cared for in years to come. The five hectare site is owned by Frodsham Town Council and includes a mix of trees including oak, sycamore, ash, birch and hawthorn.

A community consultation took place in March, followed by an on-site meeting in April which included a guided walk around part of the wood led by foresters Ben Greenaway and Yendle Barwise, to illustrate the value of woodland management and the benefits it brings to trees, nature and people. The group discussed activities that a Friends Group could drive forward, including improving access and planting trees and woodland wildflowers.

wood anemones in Hob Hey WoodWood anemones in Hob Hey Wood

The group also discussed the site's Woodland Management Plan (funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund through the Saltscape project), and the new Forest Charter. The long-term vision is to protect the structure of the woodland, improve the bio-diversity, and encourage public access along paths.

The Mersey Forest has had many years of supporting Friends groups to get established and to develop. Groups organise activities and events – such as practical task days to care for their woodlands, fun events from teddy bears' picnics to plays and concerts and learning events for example bird identification courses or wildlife photography workshops.

There is also the opportunity to develop a wood allotment group, either alongside or as part of the Friends group. Wood allotments gives people the chance to sustainably harvest wood from carefully marked trees – giving them free logs, while the woodland thrives from better management.
 

Next steps

The next stage for Hob Hey Wood is for a meeting of interested residents on Wednesday 23rd May 7pm at Castle Park. If are keen to get involved, please contact mail@merseyforest.org.uk or call 01925 816217 and ask for Yendle.
 




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