Woodland Ways

Woodland Ways is the Moreton Hall Wildlife Group, working only in the Moreton Hall area of Bury St Edmunds. They manage a number of sites owned by St Edmundsbury Borough Council and publish a programme of events on their web site.

The group:

• manages four woods for public enjoyment and wildlife;
  
• run an educational programme for schools;
  
• have occasional wildlife discovery days such as surveys of our woods or trips to other places; and
  
• all enjoy themselves!
  

The group is entirely voluntary and has no paid staff.

Natterer’s Wood

• This is their flagship wood, covering seven hectares between Mount Road and Arundel Close / Midhurst Close.
  
• Access is from the cycle path that crosses from Mount Road to Kingsworth Road, or from the bottom of Mount Road near Quarryman’s Cottage.
  
• Natterer’s Wood was initially a bare field until trees were planted from 2002 to 2008 to create the new woodland. An easy-access path, ponds and a bat shaped wildflower meadow are all part of the design.
  

Home Covert

• This is next to the Moreton Hall Community Centre, behind Mount Farm Surgery.
  
• Woodland Ways keep the woodland path open so many people can enjoy it.
  
• They also manage the woodland itself to maximise wildlife.
  

Pond Covert

• This is next to Sebert Wood School.
  
• There is an open-air classroom used by many classes and a path around the large duck pond.
  
• Woodland Ways manages the wood, and keeps the path accessible for public use.
  

Woodland Ways Pond

• This is their smallest wood, planted in the 1980s, together with a hay meadow and pond.
  
• Woodland Ways manages the hay meadow, is improving the woodland and keeps the pond in good condition. Frogs and newts are abundant.
  

What does Woodland Ways do?

Work parties are held once a month, on a Sunday morning.

Work includes:

• hedge maintenance;
• tree maintenance;
• path surfacing, with wood chips;
• coppicing – cutting down young trees to promote bushy growth; and 
• hay raking.
  

The work parties last at most two hours but you don’t have to stay that long, and we usually stop for a coffee. If you’re still not sure, why not stop by a work party to say hello. Tools are provided, although sometimes we do ask for you to bring something such as a spade or wheelbarrow. Training and work gloves are provided, and we place a high priority on ensuring safe working. Children are very welcome, and must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Occasionally we have social events, such as a trip to another wildlife site or a barbecue at a member’s house.