This morning’s volunteer session saw 2 new volunteers arrive and the return of 3 others. The main focus of the day was to take the saplings we ordered and to plant these on the footpath leading from the top of our newly installed steps, leading towards The Glade.
Two committee members infront of an overgrown fence, before work started to plant the area
Volunteers filling in the cleared trench with newly planted saplings
Committee members planting our newly created thicket
Last Saturday saw our first volunteer session of the new year. In addition to our usual plan of general weeding and making sure all is well inside the woodland, the main aim today was to plant 5 elm saplings which were supplied to us from The Conservation Foundation (www.conservationfoundation.co.uk) who have supplied us with 5 elm saplings as part of a project to see why some elms survived Dutch Elms Disease and to see if saplings which show disease resistance can be successfully grown.
The photos below show the saplings in their pots before they were planted and 2 volunteers getting ready to plant the saplings. The label shows the variety of the elm and the location from where it came from. Over the months we hope to provide updates of these saplings with their health.
Sunday, 4th October 2015 saw the official and formal opening of the Woodlands to the public. After some 4 years in the making, we saw blue skies and glorious sunshine greet some 350 people through our gate.
The opening ceremony was presided over by the newly elected MP for Greenwich & Woolwich, Matthew Pennycook.
The photos below show Matthew cutting the ribbon at the new entrance to woodland with the ceremonial garden shears after delivering a welcoming speech to the crowd. The next photo shows people heading in to the woodland.
Matthew Pennycook MP declares the woodland open!
Members of the public walking towards The Glade area after the opening ceremony.
Many of the people who attended the open day have never experienced at first-hand the inside of the woodland, so this was a great achievement for all the committee members and volunteers’ efforts over the years.
People looking around The Glade area.
People looking at the information boards.
Chairman Tim Barnes taking part in the woodland activities.
The above photos show the area known as The Glade with people looking around this area and looking at the information boards and taking part in some of the activities that were put on through the day.
Below is a photo of the refreshment stand which had drinks and refreshments for sale including cakes made by committee member Don Albrecht’s children. Donations taken on the day amounted to an incredible £175! Finally, we have the The Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, Councillor Norman Adams standing at the new entrance and another of him with the public in The Glade area.
Cakes and drinks being sold on the refreshment stall
Mayor of Greenwich in The Glade area
Mayor of Greenwich standing at the new woodland gate entrance
The day was a resounding success, generating much interest with new members eager to join in next year’s activities. It’s hoped we will be able to undertake another open day in the Summer of 2016.
Sunday, 4th October 2015 saw the official and formal opening of the Woodlands to the public. After some 4 years in the making, we saw blue skies and glorious sunshine greet some 350 people through our gate.
The opening ceremony was presided over by the newly elected MP for Greenwich & Woolwich, Matthew Pennycook.
Our last volunteer session was on September 5th. Rain and dark clouds didn’t make a promising start, but we had 7 people today, including a first time volunteer! The focus today was to put in more steps for the internal path and more weeding and tidying up of the access routes inside the woodland in preparation for our Grand Public Opening on Sunday 4th October.
Volunteers standing in front of newly created steps.
The photos show volunteers standing in front of our newly constructed steps. The steps now start near the recently added gate next to the Seren Park Gardens car part and are almost at the top of the woodland, where the topography flattens out.
