Conservation News from Friends of Fox Hill
Our conservation Working Parties take place every month and are open to all as we use traditional hand tools, and no prior experience is needed.
The aim of the session is determined by Wokingham Borough Council Countryside Services. We are also governed by the tree protection order on the woodland.
The main tasks are…
Rhododendron Clearing
Clearing Rhododendron Ponticum as this is an invasive species. It grows so densely that all other tree species have to fight to survive.
Once an area is cleared, we are replanting with small native tree species to create a more even middle woodland canopy.
You might see areas where we have edged a suggested pathway. The aim of this is to reinforce walkways allowing the plants at ground level on either side a chance to thrive. Above: Wild Garlic.
In the Autumn and early Spring, we planted native Snowdrops, Bluebells and Ramsons (Native wild garlic).
Digging Ditches
When we began our management of the woodland the main Dorset Way footpath was often flooded and this was damaging the vegetation. Some of the trees were stood in water and all the existing ditches were in need of maintenance. Digging out the ditches has made it easier to maintain the pathways and provided better drainage for the trees.
Maintaining Paths
We are clearing the mud and leaf mulch off of the hardcore path that runs parallel to Dorset Way. This helps to keep the path clean and we have created culverts to channel the water across the path to maintain drainage. This also creates new habitats of temporary water pools for various insect and amphibian life.
In other areas of the woods, we are placing wood chippings created from the cleared rhododendron onto the existing pathways to absorb the excess water and hopefully make the paths less muddy.
Some of the cleared rhododendron is stacked at the lower Dorset way entrance ready to be chipped and used for path maintenance.
AGM Minutes 2024
I would like to thank those who were able to attend our Annual General Meeting, which was held on Sunday, 24th February 2024, and the Committee who put in a lot of effort to make it happen.
The minutes include an update on our achievements, an update on our footpaths application, and the talk given by our guest speaker, Christine Harvey from Ramblers Loddon Valley.
We look forward to seeing you during the year on one of our activities in Fox Hill.
Please find the link to the minutes here: 2024 AGM Meeting Minutes.
Public Right of Way Application Update
As 2023 comes to an end, we thought we should give an update on the progress of our application for a Public Footpath within Fox Hill that was submitted to the Council at the end of October 2019. The order, if granted, is known as a Definitive Map Modification Order (DMMO).
Earlier this year, notices appeared at both ends of the path route asking for any representations or objections to be sent to the Council by the end of July 2023. WBC have informed us that one communication was received but they have been unable to ascertain if this was a comment or a complaint. They have written to the correspondent, but the last information we have been given is this has not been responded to, so the Council have sent another letter to them. If no representations or objections are outstanding the Order can be confirmed. However, if one or more objections are received, the matter must be submitted to the Secretary of State for a possible hearing.
In general, the Council have been receiving several applications, especially for bridleways which are slowing the process down. It is not just Wokingham experiencing this, councils across the country are. This is due to the Government placing an end date of January 2031 on when applications can be made. Groups such as The Ramblers and The British Horse Society are working hard on making submissions caused by this. Two local examples are an application for a Public Footpath along Chestnut Avenue between Northway and Bearwood Road and making a Bridleway between the Barkham Road and Limmerhill.
Friends of Fox Hill are hoping that if our application is approved, we can explore applying for other routes which failed in our earlier application as they did not connect to a Public Right of Way or Road at both ends; the new route would answer this for some.
A spreadsheet of DMMO applications to Wokingham Borough Council can be found on their website, however it is only up-to-date to February 2023: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/countryside-parks-and-conservation/footpaths-and-bridleways/public-rights-way-modification-orders
Conservation Report – October 2023
Our monthly conservation session had a great turn out considering the weather. Twelve adults and two children attended. The children who came to help planted some wildflower bulbs. We wore our new Hi-Viz tops which show the FOFH logo!
Left: As usual, the pathways needed clearing of leaves and mud, so we worked on the section which runs parallel to Dorset Way.
Right: At the main entrance to the woods, there was a large pile of rhododendron chippings waiting to be moved onto the soft surface pathway.
There were enough volunteers to continue with one of our major tasks of removing rhododendron.
The rhododendron is left at the Dorset Way entrance to be chipped.
We edged one of the paths and planted bluebell bulbs, lesser celandines, snakehead fritillaries and wood anemones. This is an area previously cleared of rhododendrons.
In the wetter areas, we planted ramson commonly known as wild garlic. All the plants are native to the UK and were suggested by WBC Countryside Service in their management plan for the woodland.
The rhododendron is removed because it is an invasive species, and it stops a greater variety of woodland trees from establishing. Where we have cleared thick sections, it is already lighter and the smaller native trees that we planted are growing well.
We clear the pathways which have a hard surface of mud to aid drainage and use chippings on the paths that are softer to help them remain usable. Edging popular routes helps to guide walkers to stick to the pathways and so less of the woodland is trampled on.
Please come and join us next time.
Stephanie McKay
Fox Hill Information Boards
If you went into the woods on Wednesday 9th August, you would have been in for a great surprise.
Sally Gurney, the Mayor of Wokingham unveiled Friends of Fox Hill’s new information board at the Dorset Way entrance to the woods. This is one of two; the second can be found at the Limmerhill Road entrance.
This was a great community project, 2 years in the planning, led by our Chair, Tim Lloyd, with financial support from Wokingham Town Council. We are grateful for the illustrations created by local artist, Vic Delaney, craftsmanship from our local branch of Men’s Shed, and WBC Countryside Services for the installation of the boards.
These boards will be a useful introduction to visitors of the woods, offering information about location, wildlife, and activities.
After the unveiling, refreshments were provided, and enjoyed by everyone on the day.
Pop down to the woods to see them and look out for the news article in the next issue of Wokingham Today.
Bird Walk Report
0800 Saturday 15th April saw an enthusiastic group of Friends of Fox Hill members meet with Friends of the Emm Brook’s Eddie Napper for a bird/ nature walk in Fox Hill woods.
Eddie’s appreciation of the natural world stemmed from growing-up on a local farm, where a consequent daily exposure to the sights and sounds of the countryside led to an ability to recognise the calls of many different birds from within the cacophony of the early morning avian chorus (as he amply demonstrated).
So, what did we see, or rather (mostly) hear as visually, birds can be quite elusive? Claire, our resident photographer, managed some shots of the Robin, Jay, Great Tit, and Chiffchaff –
followed by a great sequence showing the distinctive forked-tail of the Red Kite, (a feature so useful to distinguish from the similarly sized Buzzard with a fan-shaped tail).
In addition, we heard Blackbird, Song Thrush, Wren, Wood Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and Blue Tit. Perhaps, rather surprisingly and possibly indicative of wider trends, there was an absence of Starling, House and Tree Sparrows, each so numerous just a few years ago.
Among the numerous flora and fungi seen, as shown below, and which included Wood Anemone and Bluebell shoots ….
Lesser Celandine
Native Garlic Mustard
Few-Flowered Garlic
Sweet Violet
Silver Leaf Fungus
Oakmoss Lichen
Common Hair Cap Moss
Cushion Moss
the standouts were the Turkey-Tail Fungus and Snakes Head Fritillary.
So, what was the abiding memory from our early (ish) walk? For me, it was Eddie’s enthusiasm, and insistence that even without any technical kit – binoculars, camera, or bird/ flora identification apps – so much can be gleaned from just being aware and absorbed fully in the sights and sounds of the woods, or indeed any natural surroundings. Over time, and at different times of the day, in different weather and in different seasons, the collective experience and growing appreciation for, and knowledge of, the surroundings will provide enormous satisfaction, and enrichment. Right, perhaps it’s time to re-read Henry David Thoreau’s Walden … “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach…”
Grateful thanks to Eddie and to the organisers.
Graham
Conservation Report – April 2023
Sunday 16th April was a lovely morning for our conservation session in the woods. Nineteen volunteers attended and our focus was the footpath running parallel to Dorset Way. Due to the recent heavy rainfall the pathway had become quite muddy.
When the paths are flooded, walkers meander into the undergrowth to find a drier route. While this helps to keep feet dry it can also damage young plants such as bluebells or lesser celandines which grow on the margins.
The lesser celandine is a native wildflower from the buttercup family and is now flowering in the woods.
Our aim was to improve the pathway so that everyone can use it, and the undergrowth on either side is left to grow and is less trampled. We watched how the water flowed, dug additional drainage channels, cleared some of the mud and edged a section of the footpath.
This bill hook is a useful tool for splitting wood into pegs. The pegs were then used to hold the pathway edging in place. It was great to have children join in with the conservation work.
Richard from WBC Countryside Service dropped in with some left-over field maple saplings and, although it is a bit late in the season for tree planting, we gave it a try.
A lovely sight was a pair of nuthatches spotted nest building in the trees that were planted in the area where we have previously cleared the rhododendron.
Stephanie Mckay (Conservation Team)
Bird Watching Walk – Saturday 15th April 2023
All are welcome
Come and join us at 8 am
We are meeting at the Dorset Way entrance to Fox Hill woods at the end of the path opposite Heron Park.
Eddy from Friends of the Emmbrook will be leading the walk.
We are asking for a voluntary contribution of £3.00 per family.
Please be considerate if parking along Dorset Way.
For more information contact events@friendsoffoxhill.org
This activity is suitable for all ages. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Conservation Report – February 2023
Thank you to everyone who joined our working party on Sunday, 19th February. There were 21 people in attendance, which meant we were able to work on several different areas.
<<< The rhododendron was cleared once again.
Some of the brash was left at the Dorset Way entrance. The rest was used to create a dead hedge. >>>
The hedge was created to make a natural boundary between the area we have cleared and the footpath on open ground next to Fox Hill.
It will also provide a home for small insects.
<<< The chippings, made for us by WBC Countryside Service, were used to improve pathways.
More work was carried out on the maintenance of the ditches and an area by the main pathway, as it enters at the top of Dorset Way, was cleared. >>>
We now have a larger leadership team so that we can share the responsibility for organising each session. Shortly before each session, we meet on site and decide which areas we need to work on. This gives us the opportunity to consider any specific health and safety issues, and for us to ensure that we are not removing rhododendron where it might impact on existing animal homes.
The Conservation Team – Graham, Liz, Steph and Steve
AGM Meeting Minutes 2023
Thank you to all those who were able to attend our Annual General Meeting, which was held on Sunday, 22nd January 2023. Please find the link to the Minutes.
The minutes include an update on our achievements, next steps for our footpaths application, and the talk given by our guest speaker, Colin Melhuish of Holt Copse Conservation Volunteers. If there are any questions, please contact secretary@friendsoffoxhill.org.
We look forward to seeing you during the year at one of our activities in Fox Hill.