Friends of St Leonard’s Forest © 2010 All Rights Reserved
Where
We meet at 10.0am at the gate to the north entrance of St Leonard’s Forest on the bridleway off Forest Road, Colgate.
The OS map reference is TQ 221 324
We wear old clothes, tough boots (or wellies) and tough gloves.
Bring a packed lunch and hot/or cold drinks if you wish. Tea, coffee and biscuits is usually available at mid-
We usually finish about 3.30pm but anyone can finish at any time before that. Just let us know that you are leaving the site.
When
We meet on the fourth Sunday of each month. The dates in 2010 are:-
24th January 28th February 28th March
25th April 23rd May 27th June
25th July 22nd August 26th September
24th October 28th November 19th December
We meet on the fourth Sunday of each month. The dates in 2010 are:-
24th January 28th February 28th March
25th April 23rd May 27th June
25th July 22nd August 26th September
24th October 28th November 19th December
Which
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Silver Birch can be very invasive on open heathland. We cut it as near to the ground as we can so it has less chance of shooting and growing again. We try to pull young shoots out of the ground
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Brashing the lower branches of conifers to allow more light and air into the stands to encourage the growth of other plants
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Finding Rhododendron (see Frequently Asked Questions) and cutting it or grubbing it out also takes a lot of our time
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We try to spot the Alder Blackthorn (in usually damp areas) and leave well alone. It is the food plant of the Brimstone butterfly which we wish to encourage
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Collecting seed from heather and then distributing it in an adjacent area to help spread the plant
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Constructing small dams to encourage water margin plants and wildlife
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Widening tracks and paths to allow more light and better access.
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More info
Who
Mike Heald leads the group and allocates the tasks in conjunction with Mike Funnell, a Countryside Warden with West Sussex County Council. Now that members of Gatwick Green Space have joined us, we can carry out even bigger tasks.
Members of the group are of both sexes and range in age from 17 to 70+.
There is always a wide range of tasks to suit the abilities of members.
Mike Heald leads the group and allocates the tasks in conjunction with Mike Funnell, a Countryside Warden with West Sussex County Council. Now that members of Gatwick Green Space have joined us, we can carry out even bigger tasks.
Members of the group are of both sexes and range in age from 17 to 70+.
There is always a wide range of tasks to suit the abilities of members.
How
We use bow-saws and loppers mainly but spades and mattocks are sometimes used as appropriate. Health & Safety is important and we look for responsible use of all implements.
All tools are supplied but you are welcome to bring your own if you wish.
We use bow-
All tools are supplied but you are welcome to bring your own if you wish.