VV_April Web 21-compressed

Village Voice April/May 2021
WOODLAND
& GREEN SPACES
Has Spring sprung?
It has been a very wet winter, this has led to
many parts being very soggy and I am
constantly amazed by the number of people
who walk with most inappropriate footwear.
The consequence of this is that paths get tracked
wider and wider damaging the margins. Litter is
a continuing menace but we appreciate the
small number of people that take it on
themselves to clear some occasionally. We have
had a couple of fly tipping incidents mainly
involving wheels and tyres. If rubbish lands on
our property it costs us to dispose of this
rubbish. Please keep your eyes open and report
any fly tipping to Bucks council.
Our maps and noticeboards need some
refurbishment. With a couple of other guys we
have reinforced the corners with metal supports
but the tops need replacing ready for our new
maps. These reflect the changes in the latest
leaflets available at the main gate and Rushmoor
entrance.
A debate about whether the monsters at the
Widmer field should be installed in Common
Wood arose on Facebook. It was decided not to
go ahead on the basis that the paths to the
woods were already significantly damaged and
muddy and that the strange creatures would
cause horses to shy possibly injuring the rider.
On one weekend, a large number of ribbons
were tied low onto trees and bushes. I received a
frantic phone call from a dog owner whose dog
had been choking on one left on ground. The
dog owner removed all after checking with me.
It is important to consult with me as manager of
the woods if it is okay to undertake an activity
that may leave changes or material to the
environment. I would like to speak to the people
who create the structures in the wood from the
fallen branches.
I met an individual recently looking for a
geocache. I’m told there are currently two in the
woods although some years ago there were
more. This is an example where we were
consulted before going ahead.
There are a number of teenagers who like to
meet with their friends and having spoken to
them asking them to ensure that the area is clear
and tidy they have largely kept to this
agreement. Unfortunately another group don’t
have the same responsible attitude and we often
have to clear up behind them. If your offspring
belong to the latter group please could you
impress upon them to ensure that the wood is
kept clean and tidy so that it is safe for dogs and
the wild animals.
We were faced in early March with a situation
where some youngsters called out the Fire
Brigade when they discovered a fire in a tree
along the bluebell walk. The hollow tree was
acting like a chimney and flames were shooting
out the top. The big problem was one of access
38 www.pennandtylersgreen.org.uk