DULWICH UPPER WOOD PROJECT

29th October 2009 to 30th September 2010

This project aims to provide participants with knowledge of environmental conservation techniques and traditional woodland crafts so as to encourage the preservation of the Dulwich Upper Wood (South London) nature reserve site for future generations.

Environmental Conservation Techniques and Traditional Woodland Crafts will include:

• Wildlife surveys/species identification

• Small tree felling/Coppicing

• Hedge Laying
  
• Dead Hedge Creation and Maintenance
• Traditional Wooden Fencing
  
• Glade Maintenance
• Wildlife Pond Maintenance
• Bird and Bat box creation

Site History


The present day composition of Dulwich Upper Wood can be traced back to the Great North Wood (12th to 15th century) and the rapid land use changes in the Crystal Palace area since the mid 1800s.

Within the wood lie two old woodland boundaries – a line of ancient coppiced and pollarded trees and a ditch – marking subdivisions of the Great North Wood.


In 1981, the Dulwich Society along with the Greater London Council and the London Borough of Southwark arranged for the Trust for Urban Ecology (TRUE) to manage the wood as a nature park

(for more information visit TRUE website: http://www.urbanecology.org.uk/index.html)

MOST PROJECT ACTIVITIES ARE
FREE
AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

TAILOR MADE EVENTS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR




LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS


AND SCHOOL STUDENTS


VOLUNTEERS

Will have the opportunity to:

• learn about conservation techniques

• learn about wildlife surveying

• help run nature walks

• create blogs, posters and fliers

and to participate in the



EMBRACE WOODLANDS FILM PROJECT


Practical conservation activities will be filmed

Wildlife experts and local community members will be interviewed about conservation techniques and the history of Dulwich Upper Wood.


To see the project event schedule go to:

http://embraceenvironment.wordpress.com/

TOOLS, SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED

PLEASE PHONE: 02086701221
OR E-MAIL: John.c@myembrace.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION



POND MAINTENANCE
29/10/09

photos by Ben Mcinally





Supervised by Jim Murphy, Dulwich Upper Wood Site Manager (far right)
volunteers removed invasive plant species from the pond



This will allow other plants to flourish
and also will provide a healthier environment for aquatic species


Fungi Foray
2/11/09

photos by Robert Labrosse












Shrub Clearance and Hedge Laying
19/11/09

"My name is Iva. I am a second year Public Relations student in the University of Greenwich , London and I am a volunteer for Embrace Cooperation. I helped in the creation of a wonderful tree hedge in the Woodlands, we made a lot of videos and pictures...It was particularly interesting for me because...it was a totally new experience...Also, I met very nice people there. Definitely, it was unforgettable experience."





Embrace Project Manager John Cannell (on Left) and Iva clearing shrubs to create a hedge




The hedge that was created shown above, will:

protect the wood from fly tipping

provide the local wildlife with food and shelter

provide a safe corridor for wildlife including bats and birds