VV_October Web 21-compressed

WOODLAND
& GREEN SPACES
What a contrast
from a year ago!
The wood was
well populated
with people
walking in the
wood
discovering the
beauty and
looking for the
tranquillity
although the
latter may have been missing at time due to
numbers. With lockdowns eased the wood has
returned to its regular users hopefully giving
respite to the wildlife. I have seen shrew, young
Roe Deer. A strange bird call suggests we have
Ravens nesting in the wood but I have not
spotted them yet. There seems to be plenty of
Rabbit in Farther Barn Field and the Buzzards
swoop around above on the lookout for a less
alert one to provide a meal.
Thank you to the small core of volunteers
who have been helping with the removal of wild
parsnip and Ragwort in Farther Barn Field. We
are obligated to control Ragwort to prevent it
seeding onto neighbouring grazing land, Wild
Parsnip because its sap is nasty causing blisters
on skin and if we don’t it will take over the
field. We will have to continue next year to
continue the battle. If you can help please email
commonwoodvolunteer@gmail.com
The cattle are back in the field and if you do
not see them then they are likely to have buried
themselves deep in the hedge out of the sun or
rain. Their names are Pigeon, Coral, Turkish
and Hoopoe who is daughter of Pigeon. They
are very docile and if you have been to Odds
Farm you may have seen them there. The breed
is British White and can claim direct links with
www.pennandtylersgreen.org.uk
Village Voice October/November 2021
the ancient indigenous wild white cattle of Great
Britain. It is planned to keep them till the end of
October. These cows are used as conservation
animals and can also be seen at Stoke Common
and Burnham Beeches keeping down the scrub.
A tree safety survey identified a number of
trees needing attention or monitoring. These
will be marked in some way. Some may need
felling, others having limbs removed but
because of their proximity to paths we have to
make them safe. Please comply with any
warnings or instructions.
The poo bag scourge continues. Clearly there
are people who having gone to the bother of
picking up their dog’s poo then lob it into the
bushes or hang it from a branch. It is amazing
that no one has ever spotted this phantom but if
you do, please let me know.
A recent report on Facebook identified
smashed glass near to Rushmoor entrance, a
fellow volunteer collected it and made it safe.
There was a significant amount as it had been
smashed into small pieces and very sharp
shards. A cut to a dogs leg can be life
threatening if it cannot get to a vet quickly and
this mindless action creates unacceptable risk.
Common Wood is privately owned and the
Residents Society part has been registered for
permissive public access. The parts not under
our ownership are not registered so please
respect their privacy, no fences have been
erected to ensure wildlife can move freely .
During October we plan to get an all- weather
surface on the Burrows Path. Any help would
be welcome so if you can barrow, dig or rake
we would welcome support - send an email to
commonwoodvolunteer@gmail.com
Work parties will take place on October 2/3,
November 6th & 7th and December 4th & 5th.
They start at 10.00am and are about 2 hours.
In October we will be launching the Friends
of Common Wood to support us in the
conservation of this Ancient Woodland for the
enjoyment and benefit of us all. If you would
like further information send an email to info@
pennandtylersgreen.org.uk - enjoy! Mike Morley
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