Meg's Mount Woodland

24/11/2011

Cambridgeshire County Council

Good News for Meg's Mount Woodland, Fulbourn

Where is Meg's Mount?
Meg's Mount is a 5ha woodland and part of Cambridgeshire County Council's Farms Estate. It is accessed from the Roman Road public byway, just west of the A11. The wood was planted about 15 years ago with funding through the Forestry Commission. The good news is we have now been able to secure further funding through a Woodland Improvement Grant from the Forestry Commission. This will allow us to carry out vital works to improve the wood for public access and wildlife.

What improvement works will be carried out?
The works have been recommended by the Forestry Commission with the main aim of replicating the natural structure of a mature wood, with a canopy of taller trees, a shrubby layer and ground flora. We will also improve access for the public to the wood.

Thinning of the woodland
When planted, trees are positioned close together with the aim that thinning will occur at a later date. The trees at Meg's Mount have not been thinned for a long time and as a result they are beginning to grow tail and spindly with a dense canopy that blocks out the light to the woodland floor. The canopy can be dominated by certain species, blocking out the light to other species such as oaks, which suffer as a result. We will be carrying out thinning in the woodlands to allow the other species to grow taller and stronger, forming more substantial trunks. Some of the timber will be left in stacks known as ecopiles. This will help create dead wood habitat which is important for many species of invertebrates.

Coppicing
Alongside the thinning we will be coppicing some of the trees. This involves cutting the trees down to leave stumps known as coppice stools which will open up the canopy, letting light in to the woodland floor. The coppices will grow back creating a more diverse woodland structure with vegetation of differing heights and benefiting a greater variety of wildlife. Coppicing is a traditional woodland management technique which is repeated periodically.

Public access
Along the existing rides we will coppice along both sides to open up the routes. This will improve access and create a more diverse woodland structure. We will also be creating a new southern entrance to the site and a new path to link to the central ride, allowing people to enjoy a circular walk. In addition, we are planning other improvements such as waymark posts and a new interpretation board.

We are sure that the long term benefits will be worth any short term disruption. Please take care around any machinery or works, and follow any instructions from the contractors.

For more information contact Sarah Shepherd, Assistant Management Surveyor (Rural) at sarah.shepherd@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or on 01223 699671