Our 4th Woodland Volunteer morning this year got off to a bit of a soggy start, but somehow the wet weather brought out around 16 volunteers, most of whom stayed all the time. Although it feels still cool, and with the recent poor Easter Bank Holiday weekends weather in everybody’s minds, it was nice to see that trees were slowly starting to come in to leaf.
Hawthorn sapling coming in to leaf 
View of The Glade’s fruit trees
One thing that hasn’t slowed down are the young sycamore seedlings, which are growing very well. The photo shows committee member Ruth Cracknell hard at work removing seedlings from our new “mini glade” area. Other activities as well as weeding were the creation of more bird boxes. Volunteer Hazel can be seen sawing planks of wood to create the new bird boxes. Other committee members include Donald Albrecht weeding one of the recently planted hedge areas.
Ruth Cracknell weeding sycamore saplings 
Volunteer Hazel creating bird boxes 
Don Albrecht weeding
Other projects started were the starting of installing steps to allow safer access to the beehives, as well as planting of more woodland plants at the main entrance with some small wood-garlic plants.
The longer days will hopefully allow more of our bluebells to flower in time for our Spring Open Day in 3 weeks’ time. Primroses were in full flower, and another woodland staple, Lords and Ladies, were all growing well.
Lords and Ladies 
Primroses in flower 
Young bluebells
Finally, the bees this morning were not active at all, and with cold and wet weather, who can blame them!
