Viking Project: Volunteers celebrate 18th birthday by planting more trees
Shotley's highly respected Viking Project marked its 18th birthday this week, but to be honest came of age years ago.
Volunteers celebrated by planting more trees, donated by Babergh District Council, and watching a film at their annual general meeting.
Steering group leaders Ian Peters, Anna Long and Sue Nichols, presented the accounts, healthy despite having to pay out for expensive equipment, and giving an appraisal of progress at Golden Wood.
Chairman Mr Peters said: "It seems that these past 18 years have flown by and I am continually delighted by the change in wildlife habitat that our small band of supporters and enthusiastic cutters, rakers, coppicers' and pollarders' have made to Golden Wood over the years.
"At this time of year there is much to reflect on and look forward to. The primroses are just about fully out and the cowslips are not too far behind. It is true to say that the area has been transformed from a corner of an arable field into one of some majestic beauty.
"We have increased the number of nest boxes to fifteen woodcrete and five wooden ones. A usage rate of some 70% being achieved last year."
The Viking Project, given its name and logo by Shotley primary schoolchildren, came about after hooking up with the Green Light Trust, an environmental charity with links to the Suffolk schools and communities, and created Golden Wood.
After buying two acres of land from Hazel and Richard Wrinch, Viking Project volunteers, including children, set about planting 1,300 native hedging plants, including: hawthorn, blackthorn, plum, dog rose, field maple, dogwood, field maple, hazel and holly, funded by the AONB's Suffolk Coast and Heaths project.
Since then more than 300 trees have been planted on the woodland and wildlife meadow, in Golden Wood which will be owned in perpetuity by the Viking Project for our children's children's children.
Golden Wood offers a protected area proving food and shelter for many nesting birds, a variety of insect species, dragonflies and butterflies.. Mr Peters added: "Our allegiance with Suffolk Butterfly Conservation's Brimstone and Buckthorn project has already proved successful. "They provided both Common and Alder Buckthorn, free of charge, which we planted. Within a matter of weeks, we had numerous tiny Brimstone butterfly caterpillars on our plants." In his annual report, Mr Peters paid tribute to supports, grant funders and the volunteers, that make it all happen, and said: "As usual I am truly grateful to the Viking Forest Project Conservation Volunteers who work to make this such a valuable wildlife habitat. "Together we truly make a difference for wildlife." Hundreds of people enjoy wandering through the woods each year, with its ever changing vista of flora, fauna and wildlife on display. Viking Project volunteers hold its own Woodstock concert and boasts its very own Woodman. For more details, or to volunteer, contact Ian at [email protected]
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