Volunteers make fast work of ancient hedge

Fencing in Chaddesden Wood after the hedgelaying

Mon 2 Mar 2020

Volunteers have restored over 100 metres of boundary hedge around Chaddesden Wood in quick time – meaning the remaining four scheduled sessions are no longer needed.

Work on the project was expected to take ten sessions, but after only six totalling over 600 volunteer hours, the traditional hedges leading to the Cherrybrook Drive entrance have been restored, improving the woodland habitat for wildlife.

The work was carried out by Derby Parks Volunteers, Derby Parks and members of the Friends of Chaddesden Wood, with new members learning the ancient craft of hedgelaying.

Their fast work means they will be taking a well-earned break until Saturday 7 March, when they will meet to plant 500 bare root saplings along the hedge line to fill in the gaps. The saplings are all native hedgerow species.

Nick Charles from the Friends of Chaddesden Wood said: “We work hard to manage and conserve this beautiful ancient oak woodland for everyone to visit and enjoy, but a restoration project of this scale would not have been possible without the Derby Parks Volunteers. We would like to say a very big thank you to them for the wonderful job they have done.”

Councillor Robin Wood, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, and Councillor for Oakwood, added: “We owe local community volunteers a huge debt of gratitude for getting involved in learning ancient skills as well as helping to look after Oakwood's ancient woodland for years to come.”

Derby Parks Volunteers is a non-profit making organisation made up of people who contribute their time and energy to the conservation and development of the city’s green spaces, supported by Derby Parks and the Derby Green Spaces Forum. It is free to join. For more information on how to get involved, see their website: www.derbyparksvolunteers.co.uk.

The photo at the top shows the wood after the hedgelaying. The photo below shows the wood before the work was carried out.

Chaddesden Wood hedgelaying before.JPG