Blyth Woods

Raking hay on a late summer evening while chatting to like- minded folk who enjoy being out in the woods is a pretty good way to spend some time. Watching swallows feeding over the meadow, identifying plants that have appeared since the barley cultivation ceased and planning ways forward to support the regeneration of woodland were all part of the work party in Malster’s Little Field. We raked off an area beside the pond that had been cut the day before and piled the vegetation to one side in a heap that grass snakes might find attractive. Our intention is to create a damp, wild flower meadow but it will take time to establish. We hope to help the process along by seeding the area with local wild flower seed and by transplanting seedlings grown from local plants. Cutting and raking should reduce the vigorous growth of grass and give other plants a better chance.

Last year we cut four patches in Malster’s, two areas were controls and two areas were seeded with local wild flower seed collected from paths, verges and field margins near- by . We aim to repeat the process this year and so we raked the four patches that had recently been cut for a second time. It is too soon to see any dramatic change but some yellow rattle plants were spotted so that is encouraging.

It only took us an hour to do that so we then introduced April, a new ‘Friend’, to the copse that leads off Grove Piece on the north side. It took a bit of bramble cutting and branch trimming to uncover the small entrance but we were soon inside where we found a good sized parasol mushroom.

Another interesting evening was spent in Grove Woods earlier in the summer when we weeded the hedge planted by the school and also the trees planted for coppicing. The hazels have survived well but some of the sweet chestnut will need replacing this autumn. We all became aware of how well the bristly ox-tongue was faring when we looked at our socks. In fact we all had to spend time removing the barley seed and prickles but it was worth it!

If you would like to join the next work party it will be held on

 Saturday 9^th October , meeting in Grove Woods at 10am, you would be most welcome.

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On Sunday afternoon last week twenty-five of the Friends of Blyth Woods turned up at Grove Woods for a Bioblitz and Picnic Tea.

This year we focussed the Bioblitz on Malster’s Little Field where we hoped to see a greater variety of wildlife species following the pond restoration and some management of the rest of the field. Everyone went off with clipboards and searched and recorded for over an hour. Then John lit the Kelly Kettle to make tea and coffee and the rest of the steering group uncovered a  table full of delicious picnic food. The Kelly Kettle smoked, flamed and steamed, the tea was made and trays of food offered around. Judging by the amount eaten and the favourable comments we think that we maintained our reputation of being the group that provides the best food! 

There was much discussion on the finer points of identification as we looked to see what had been recorded. We were not disappointed in the diversity, many new plant species for this year were found that had germinated from the seed bank that must have been in the mud at the bottom of the pond. Some were found in the spoil that had been spread over part of the field and more at the pond edges and in the pond itself. Everyone commented on the large numbers of dragon flies and damsel flies all around the area.

A full list of what was found will be in the next Friends newsletter and will be posted on the website.

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We had a full house (allowing for Covid restrictions) in the Village Hall for our AGM on 30^th June.

Our Chair, Ann Edwards, reported that the last year had been a strange and difficult time, but in spite of that, the Blyth Woods group had continued working when we could. 

We cleared the pond in Malster’s Field last autumn. The pond is now holding water and plants are beginning to grow. Water Crowfoot is flowering in the pond itself. We replanted some of the new trees there that hadn’t made it in last spring’s dry weather and will do more this year.

We built a new footbridge from the corner of Grove Piece onto the field leading down to Back Road, as the ditch had become impassible following heavy rain. We also installed a new bench in Grove Piece. 

Our bird boxes have been well used, with blue tits the dominant species. Barn owls and kestels are frequent visitors, though not nesting yet. Badger tracks and brown hares have been spotted. The floral diversity continues to increase.  

We encouraged ‘Footpath Art’ during the long winter.

We planted some new fruit trees in Merton Woods orchard and cleared and mulched the existing ones. We also planted new hedging in the gap between the old Woottens site and the orchard.

Blyth Woods has now taken over the management of Vicarage Grove on a lease agreement with the Church, which means we can manage Grove Piece, Malster’s Little Field and Vicarage Grove as one unit, which we are calling Grove Woods.

Projects for the future include activities with the school, reassessing the ash dieback situation, plotting and photographing the significant trees in the area and continuing to look for other areas that might be better used for woodland or rewilding.

Our Chair finished by thanking the team and encouraging those who are interested to join us, either as a member or as a volunteer.  (blythwoods1@gmail.com)

Our Guest Speaker was Argus Hardy of WildEast.  

Argus is a farmer, architect and committed conservationist, with a passion for the Wild East of England, its landscapes, people and wildlife, and one of three founder trustees of WildEast.

Apart from a 50 year project to bring back the lynx, WildEast’s mission is to ‘rewild’: to recover what we lost fifty years ago by encouraging farmers to restore hedges and create wildflower meadows, wetlands and areas of scrub on their land. Village and city communities can help by providing wildlife ponds and areas for wildlife in school playgrounds and churchyards. Even the individual can make space for nature in our gardens, balconies and rooftops. 

In only a year WildEast has already achieved much for nature recovery across East Anglia. It has been working with farm shops, the East of England Co-op, the National Trust, farmers, schools, whole villages; and with overwhelming enthusiasm all have taken up the WildEast Pledge to restore and rewild. WildEast’s ‘Map of Dreams’ is taking shape. (www.wildeast.co.uk)

Argus ended his inspiring and invigorating talk by praising our village conservation groups and urging us to unite in projects to create our own ‘Wild Wenhaston’. 

Patricia Elliot

Grove Woods, 3 pm Sunday 15th August

Come and enjoy some picnic food in lovely surroundings and help us to find out just how many more plants and creatures are living there. We know that the number of species has dramatically increased, particularly in Malster’s Little Field, so there should be lots to record.

This will be held at Wenhaston Village Hall on

Wednesday 30^th June 2021 at 7pm

We are very pleased to have as guest speaker Argus Hardy, founding trustee of WildEast, a group dedicated to 
conservation projects across East Anglia.

Their website is www.wildeast.co.uk

for further details of the AGM contact us at blythwoods1@gmail.com