We know, from all the feedback we have received, that the ‘taming’ of the two copses in the Park has been a priority with a lot of people. The main reason being their use as a ‘drugs den’ (both plastic packets and needles have been found in quantities) and the associated accumulation of unsightly rubbish and bottles – a danger to both children playing in the Park and dogs. The situation got so bad, that ‘vigilante’ groups threatened to chop the hawthorn down themselves. So, the sight of the thicket coming back under management between now and April will be a welcome sight for many.
The idea is to lay the hedges Yorkshire style and thin out the wood in the middle so that light floods back in, thereby encouraging brambles and scrub to flourish and provide a quiet, undisturbed habitat for wildlife; including the nesting birds. A lighter, airier atmosphere will also help preserve and strengthen the pine trees and silver birch in both areas.