Taking time to reflect on Summer and Autumn, the Friends of Woodlands and Coachwood Green have been busy. We started the Summer with our first nature identification event held in collaboration with the National Trust, as part of the Big Help Out Volunteers week, where volunteers recorded sightings of wildflowers, butterflies and birds. Using apps like ‘irecord’ we are able to build up a database of our local nature as well as contribute to wider national surveys. We hope to be able to build on this and run more nature identification days.
We held our Annual General Meeting in June with a guest speaker from the Beeston Wildlife Trust who talked to us about wildlife gardening highlighting things we can do in our gardens to be more nature friendly, from wildlife ponds, log piles and species of plants to grow. We are sad to see the departure of John Rogers who stepped down as our Treasurer after being in the role since the Friends of Woodlands and Coachwood Green began in 2011 and we thank John for his valuable contribution for over a decade and wish him and his family well.
In September we invited the Nottinghamshire Bat Group for a bat walk and talk around the Woodlands and along the canal, we were all excited to set off with detectors to listen and see the bats, of which there were many at dusk over the water. If there is interest, we will certainly look to do this again.
Our monthly task days on site started back up again after the summer break and we have spent the autumn pruning and cutting back the summer growth as well as the regular litter picking. Our monthly task days on site take place on the third Saturday of each month.
Following the vandalism to the Viewpoint sculpture, we have successfully crowdfunded around £1300 to contribute towards a new one. We have engaged the original community artist who worked with us on the first project and we are currently looking for match funding and hoping we can kick this project off in 2025.
And finally, we are really pleased to have received a Wilder Nottinghamshire award from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust recognising our positive active for nature and the environment. This really boosted our volunteers knowing what they are doing is recognised by the wider community. We couldn’t do what we do without our amazing team of volunteers.
Let us know what kind of activities you would like to take part in next year as we are currently planning, such as community litter picking, building log piles and wildlife havens, expert walk and talks, nature identification.
We have many volunteering roles ranging from practical onsite work to treasurer or helping organise community events. Feel free to contact us if you think you can contribute.
As the days grow shorter and colder, you might normally expect activity on the Woodlands and Coachwood Green to go into hibernation, but the winter season is just as busy. As you take a walk around the Woodlands here are a few things for you to look out for.
By December, most deciduous trees have lost their leaves, so take time to check out their bark such as the papery white silver birches and bright berries of holly and Rowan.
These winter berries are a fabulous supply of food for wildlife in winter.
Credit: Woodland Trust
Our native wild primrose is common and widespread across the UK.
Keep an eye out for wild primroses on the Woodlands with their delicate yellow blooms appearing in woods and hedgerows in December.
You should be able to hear birds defending their territory such as the Robin, this little bird is one of the few you can hear year-round as it sings to defend its winter territory and start wooing a mate ready for spring.
For those who are new to the village and may not know who we are or how you can get involved.
We are a group of volunteers, formed in November 2011, who support Nottinghamshire County Council in managing the Woodlands and Coachwood Green as a local green space, the former Shireoaks Colliery site. Anyone is welcome to join the Friends group and there are a variety of ways in which you can get involved.
Volunteering roles available on Bassetlaw Volunteer Community Service (BVCS) website
Many members of the Friends group often attend our regular monthly task days on the third weekend of the month on the site. If you'd like to get involved in helping, then we would love to hear from you – everyone is welcome.
Email: Infowoodlandsandandcoachwoodgreen@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook @friendsofwoodlandsandcoachwoodgreen