Our planning and delivery of the Northern Forest is moving forward almost a year since it was first announced. We’ve finally got the contract with Defra signed, which took a considerable amount of work by the team led by Darren Moorcroft Director of Estate & Outreach...
Hi all and happy new year Our next Smithills next task day will be on Sunday 20 January, 9.30 – 12.30. We will be tree planting, and we have a LOT of trees to plant! All Smithills volunteers, please do come along if you fancy helping...
Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful break over Christmas and New Year The next task day get together for our practical volunteers for Skipton Castle woods is to be Sat 9th Feb – 11am-3pm. This will include A site visit for 2019 planning 11am...
Volunteers from our northern region have joined us over two weekends in the last month, attending our introduction to coppice management course, run at Lymm in Cheshire at our Spud Wood site, and at Whittle Dene Woods, near Gateshead. Volunteers were joined by tutor Don...
We are delighted to announce that work has started last week on Pestfurlong Moss (part of Gorse Covert Mounds at Birchwood near Warrington) to restore the peat mossland. Work has been undertaken to install a series of plastic piling dams at key locations to re-wet this...
Our new practical conservation team at Nidd Gorge has been going strong for nearly 6 months now, and in that time has already achieved a huge amount on the site. The group is led in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council, with days being led by countryside...
Many thanks to everyone who came along to join in with our two day Introduction to Coppice Management course, which took place over last weekend. Delivered by tutor Don Atkinson, the first part of the course, based indoors at Lymm village hall, provided a fascinating...
Many thanks to all of our volunteers who came along to our winter tree identification one day sessions held last weekend. Volunteers came along to our two days at Risley Moss, near Warrington, and Castleside, near Consett to join tutor Edward Mills to brush up...
To commemorate the centenary of the signing of the Armistice in 1918, Weaverham Memorial Orchard Group held an Ecumenical Service of Remembrance at the Memorial Orchard, Thorn Wood on Thursday, 15th November 2018, inviting other groups that work on this site to the service. The orchard group...
Hello all It’s been a busy week or two here on Smithills Estate, here’s an update for you. Thank you… Our project funder – the Heritage Lottery Fund – visited us last week and we were able to let them know that volunteers have contributed over 1100 hours...