Working voluntarily on joint Forestry Commission and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust sites and nature reserves, the Dean Green Team carry out valuable wildlife conservation work in the Forest of Dean area.
Led by staff from both organisations, they meet on Tuesdays from September through to April and carry out a variety of tasks from scrub clearance, pond maintenance and butterfly surveys to ancient woodland management tasks like coppicing and hedge-laying.
At present, about 12 volunteers attend weekly, coming from all walks of life with different interests, abilities and skills.
Work days usually start at 9.45/10am and run through to about 3pm depending on the task in hand. Volunteers bring their own packed lunch and eat al fresco on site! All tools, training and guidance is provided by Forestry Commission and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust staff.
The next three months are packed with some very different tasks planned for the group. If you'd like to get involved, the team would be very pleased to welcome you.
Call Forestry Commission Recreation Ranger, Rebecca O’Dowd, on 01594 833057.
Dates for February:
9th Feb: Coppicing and Braken control at Darkhill, Milkwall. (SO 588087) 9.45am start.
16th Feb: Clear scrub encroachment to protect Autumn Ladies Tresses at Plump Hill Dolomite Quarry Nature Reserve (off A4136) 10am start.
23rd Feb: Remove birch for the preservation of local geology and butterfly and reptile habitat. At Shakemantle Quarry (SO 651773) 9.45 start.
Further tasks for March and April can be viewed on the Dean Green Team website.
About the Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible in England for protecting, expanding and promoting the sustainable management of woods and forests and increasing their value to society and the environment. Forestry makes a real contribution to sustainable development, providing social and environmental benefits arising from planting and managing attractive, as well as productive, woodlands. Further information can be found at www.forestry.gov.uk/england. |