Scouts for trees
This year we have partnered with the Scouts to celebrate their centenary. Our ambitious aim is to plant 100 groves around the country to mark the occasion. Some of the new woods are being incorporated into scout campsites but many are on other land.  We  would be very interested to hear from anyone who feels they have space to host a scouts grove this autumn. Ideally we are looking for sites that can accommodate approx 2000 trees. This can be a mixture of trees and hedgerow species. 

Please get in touch if you think you have or know of a suitable site.

Spotlight on the Bilton Conservation Group
The Bilton Conservation Group has a membership of almost 500 residents living in Bilton on the rural fringe of north Harrogate, North Yorkshire,UK.

Read more about the group here.

Promoting your events
If you have any up and coming events that you would like more publicity for then, don’t forget, they can be posted on the website. You may have a guided walk or work day that you would like to attract new members or visitors to.  If so, please post your event in the coffee lounge! More details here.

Boost for ancient Limewoods
We have recently acquired our largest woodland planting sites for quite a while in England. This is exciting in its own right however, the land is also adjacent to two ancient woodland sites, which make up part of the Lincolnshire Limewoods between Wragby, Bardney and Woodhall Spa. They give us the scope to extend and buffer these precious woods with over 200 acres of new planting and associated habitat.

This area contains the country's greatest surviving concentration of small-leaved lime ancient woodland. It is also unusually rich in historic and archaeological remains, including seven medieval abbey sites in the Witham Valley.

Over the next few years we intend to work closely with the Lincolnshire Woodland Project to enthuse lots of people to get involved, not just in tree planting but a whole host of other activity including setting up a friends group to help with the wider woodland management.

Mobile phone recycling
We now have our own mobile phone recycling envelopes which I hope you will use to collect and recycle your old phones. Each phone sent in to us will mean the Community Woodland Network will receive a guaranteed donation of £2.50. If your phone can’t be re-used, then it will be recycled, saving it from landfill and preventing potentially damaging toxins from leaking into the ground.  All proceeds will go towards paying for the conference this summer!

Please email us your envelope requests.

Need to know more about fungus?
Fungi play a vital role in nature. Many live on dead organic matter, such as leaf litter, and have an important role in re-cycling. Others form symbiotic associations with trees and other plants, which extend the plant root system assisting in the uptake of water and nutrients. Over 90% of plants have a fungus associated with their roots and many would not survive without their fungal partner. It has also been estimated that over 1000 species of insects in the UK alone are dependent on fungi for food and shelter. Go here for more information.

Group bank accounts
Did you know there are quite a few bank accounts that are specifically tailored to volunteer groups and as such have favourable terms and conditions. This one featured below caught my eye as it pays interested on your balance and gives you access to their customer donation fund. More information available here.

A neighbourhoods anf natures toolkit
The Toolkit has been written to support those working on, or interested in, developing environmental nature based projects that benefit people. Both publications use a mixture of key facts, case studies and best practice, but also suggest a number of practical activities that can be adapted to suit the needs of different groups or organisations. It can be used by environmental workers, and community development workers, who support communities and groups involved in environmental projects.

Copies of the toolkit and support pack are currently free of charge whilst stocks last. Request your copies from:

The Wildlife Trust
The Barn,
Berkeley Drive,
Bamber Bridge,
Preston,
PR5 6BY.
 
Tel: 01772 317246

All about bluebells 
Identify your bluebells this spring and ensure you have our native ones rather than a hybrid or Spanish variety.More bluebell information available here.

If you have any news or stories you would like publishing or if you would like to be our featured woodland group in the next edition please let me know by the end of May.

Regards Paul.

Paul Bunton
Community Woodland Network Project Manager