We’ll build a wildlife refuge (From Worcester News)

We’ll build a wildlife refuge

10:25am Monday 23rd August 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

IN days of old when knights were bold large forests surrounded Malvern. In fact the town that was to become a bustling mecca in Victorian times was so cut off in 1651 that the Battle of Worcester that raged at Powick only a few miles away largely passed it by.

There was even a hermitage at St Ann’s Well. Royal hunting parties pursued deer through what was known as Malvern Chase, a woodland that covered land in 13 parishes and had been declared a royal forest by William the Conqueror in the 11th century.

Today the landscape is very different. It’s a long time since fallow deer were spotted on what is now Morrison’s car park and even longer since a peasant was hanged for stealing the King’s firewood.

But all that could change a bit.

Not hanging peasants or rutting in the mother and toddler parking bays, but the restoration of some of the woodlands that centuries ago made up Malvern Chase.

Leading the way is a group which calls itself Malvern Community Forest. It was set up last year by newspaperman turned coppicing expert Phil Hopkinson who had the idea for planting a forest to be used as a community resource. Turning the clock back to when trees rather than tarmac were king.

“The land would be a massive amenity and asset to the local people, a wildlife refuge from the urban environment and the intensely managed countryside,”

Phil explained.

“It would be a patchwork of diverse habitats rather than adding to the urban sprawl.”

His vision attracted a fair amount of support, not entirely unexpected considering the Bohemian leaning ethos of the area – I doubt the same would apply to Worcester or Kidderminster, for example – and the group now has more than 70 members.

“Much of the original chase has of course now been developed over the years, but we intend to discover and acquire suitable tracts of land where it existed, where we can set up community woodlands of oak, ash, field maple and hazel for the benefit of local communities.

“Offering them, through full public access, with cycle tracks and facilities for the less able, space for leisure, quiet reflection, access to nature, and a place where young people can learn ‘hands on’ about the wildlife that such a natural habitat supports.

In time, these woodlands will also become productive, offering, besides nuts and fruits, timber for building, furniture and garden products.

“We have come quite a way since that early vision. We have formed a partnership with the Woodland Trust and are recognised and supported by Malvern Hills District Council, Worcestershire County Council, the Malvern Hills Conservators and others.

We are in discussion with a major landowner to create woodlands on their land and we have identified other areas which could be enhanced by careful planting of trees. We have been approved by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs as having charitable status and can therefore reclaim tax through Gift Aid.”

Now the first financial steps are being taken.

The group has launched an appeal for pledges or donations to raise £30,00 to go towards the purchase of a 13-acre piece of arable land on which it would like to create its first community woodland.

The exact location is not being disclosed, but it is within one of the 13 parishes that included the original royal forest.

“Any help is welcomed from either individuals or from companies and would be recognised by promotion of any participating company, or individual, in different ways, such as allowing corporate staff to become involved in our activities, e.g.tree-planting, or by naming an area of woodland after the sponsor and giving due acknowledgement in our newsletter and our promotional literature,”

said Phil.

So there you are. Not so much plant a tree as plant a forest. If you want to help, membership, sponsorship pledges and donation forms can be downloaded from the groups website. malvern communityforestorg.uk.