Ravensthorpe Residents Association
Project Title
Kirklees Children’s Forest woodland walkway
Description
We wish to create permanent pathways throughout the forest. Adding seating areas and new planting. This will consist of a selection of bulbs, woodland plants, meadow plants and soft fruit shrubs and plants.
Each path will lead to a distinct area within the forest.
Benefits
- It is a location which has been badly affected by fly tipping in the past. Work already carried out has started to reduce this and residents are enjoying the space and planting we have already put in place. The pathways will be much easier for residents to use. There is an increase in the number and variety of birds in the forest. There will be a greater selection of planting to encourage the biodiversity in the area, which will increase the wildlife visiting the space. Local residents will have a new area to enjoy.
- We wish to hold community events there, such as a Teddy Bear’s Picnic once the work is completed. The soft fruits will provide a selection of fresh products for the local community.
- Local workers will be able to walk back through the forest on their breaks. We are hoping the local schools will use the space for their forest schools sessions.
- There will be a massive improvement to the appearance of the local area.
Report
The area of the Children’s Forest has changed a lot as a result of Northern Electric carrying out work to cut down any trees which were under the power lines. This has changed the site quite substantially.
We have decided to work mainly on the pathways and the entrances into the woodland.
More work was carried out around the pylon by Northern Electric.
All the small shrubs and trees have been removed so we are making a perimeter of dead hedging around it. On this will be planted climbing plants and bulbs planted in front.
Meadow flower seeds are going to be scattered underneath the pylon and should any work be carried out on it, it won’t cause too much damage to the area again.
Talking to local residents we have found out that where all the brambles are growing used to be a garden area that was maintained by one of the residents of Crawshaw Street, we would like to reinstate that and cut back the brambles that run down the right-hand boundary this will improve the sight lines to that area. We have been told there are still plants underneath the brambles and we will add to them once we have been able to clear them after the nesting season has ended.
All the pathways are to be lined with tree trunks which will be staked in place.
Every footpath entrance will have a feature of dead hedging panels either side which will help direct people inside.
These will have climbers planted on them and tall growing plants such as foxglove planted in front and meadow plants and bulbs planted around them to make an instant impact.
The Northern Electric zone will be kept clear of litter and all the loose trunks and branches (which are left) will be used to create the dead hedging.
A seating area will be created around the three trees which were left partially cut down.
These are going to be made a feature of, one will have bug houses put around it and the other two are going to be decorated by the children from Diamond Wood Academy.
The school will be coming to the site to use it for their forest school lessons.
Also less fly tipping being left at this site, it is still taking place but across the road!
Every Tuesday in June we worked with S2R and made a great start on the pathway from Crawshaw Street end working our way into the middle section of the wood.
A feature of dead hedge panels were made at the entrance to the path and planted with climbers – jasmine, berberis, clematis and honeysuckle.
Other plants were put in front of the panels but unfortunately we have had issues with a small number of local kids determined to ruin them.
At the other end of the Forest we have put dead hedging panels around the pylon and planted those up with similar plants.
The children in the houses next to the pylon are looking after the plants we have there and we will be putting in raspberry canes to create another boundary around the pylon.
The pathways have been lined with tree trunks and covered with wood chip.
We are continuing to create sight lines by removing dead trees and thinning out the beech and hawthorn on site.
A lot of the work is on hold until the birds have finished nesting then we have a lot of brambles to remove to reinstate the garden that was created by one of the residents.
Lots of bulbs to buy and plant later in the year.
As well as more plants for the garden area.
November
We are carrying out more sessions a month at the Children’s Forest.
We have recently spent a day working with Transformers North and managed to clear a lot of self seeded trees and brambles.
We are waiting for a visit from John Hanwell to obtain a tree felling order for some of the larger trees on site. Ranger Pete Banks is helping us with this and helps us on site whenever possible. He is hoping to get the new apprentices involved there learning how to install the seating we will be putting in place.
We have removed more litter from the site and fly tipping is an on going issue.
We have begun to clear the ‘garden’ area that was created and maintained by a resident and was enjoyed by all the residents on the street.
We are currently having a fight with the squirrels in the area and hope that some of the many bulbs we planted make it to spring.
We have planted a variety of alliums, daffodils, crocus, tulips and snowdrops.
We have yet to purchase more bulbs, Wood for seating and plants/shrubs for the garden area. There is just over £300 left to spend of the grant money.
We are hoping that the trunks lining the pathways survive the winter same as the pile of chippings we have at the side of Park Road.
Last year most were taken for residents gardens and stoves.
I would just like to say thank you to Tim and Natural Kirklees for all the help regarding the site as it has been quite difficult at times.
Andy Goff has helped me a lot too, having site meetings and giving lots of encouragement not to give up on the project and a helping hand when possible.
Award
£750