A Year in the Wood - A Review of 2021

 

photo Sam Taylor

 

2021 has been a year of contrasts but as regular visitors have commented, it is looking much better at the end than it did at the start. Here are some of the high and lows of the year.

The start of the year seemed very much at a low point. Regular visitors were puzzled to find all the entrance gates locked and a lively debate speculating as the cause erupted on the local online forum. It turned out that an illegal party in the tunnel had been organised and those in charge had chained and locked the entrances. With hindsight, it's presumed that this wasn't a business meeting with cheese and wine. Southwark has since increased security by installing much stronger bars and locks on the tunnel entrance so hopefully this won't be repeated.

Another low point was the suspension of volunteering as another lock-down was imposed. This, along with the increased visitor number meant that paths, both official and unofficial took a battering but without the opportunity to carry out maintenance. However, this led to some good news, as funding from the Great North Wood Project was made available to deal with the worst sections of muddy paths. New paths were constructed by contractors using hardcore and a self-binding surface called "hoggin" and the resulting improvements have been very welcome.

The problem of heavy footfall shown graphically in the view of the difficult conditions resulting of the Upper path. (photo Sam Taylor)

The same section of path after improvement. (photo Sam Taylor)

 

Similar improvements were carried out at the Cedar of Lebanon boardwalk, where a particularly muddy patch had developed where people had to step off the boardwalk onto the path.

Before (photo Sam Taylor)

After (photo Sam Taylor)

In April, as restrictions began to be lifted, volunteering started up again, albeit with a maximum of five volunteers and a reduced number of days per month. Consequently, it was a slow start to tackling the enormous backlog of tasks as well as mitigating the effects of increased footfall in the Wood. 

An early task was to complete fencing in an area of protected woodland near the Crescent Wood Road entrance. This is the largest area to be fenced in and it is vital in allowing the regeneration of ground cover plants and providing a quiet space for wildlife, free of disturbance, especially by dogs. 

 

Volunteers having just completed the final section of fencing.

 

A section of the fenced off area showing the regeneration of the woodland

A notice explaining why the area has been fenced.

 

Another task has been the construction of dead-hedging in areas where trampling has caused damage to ground cover and has compacted the soil making difficult the regeneration of plants.

This can be seen especially along the main path which follows the old railway alignment and where the upper path connects to the glade, an area known as the "trampled triangle".

 

This photo shows the very real damage caused by trampling (photo Sam Taylor)

Recruits to the London Wildlife Trust's "Keeping it Wild" initiative having just completed dead hedging of this area. (photo Sam Taylor)

Sunday volunteers having a completed a section of dead-hedging alongside the "trampled triangle" (photo Sam Taylor)

Poor weather in spring held back plant growth but as restrictions lifted further and groups became larger, more ambitious work could be tackled. One area of concern was the steps from the old railway over into Dulwich Wood. In July, these were rebuilt by volunteers and the result is a great improvement. 

 

Volunteers stand back after rebuilding the steps into Dulwich Wood (photo Sam Taylor)

As the year progressed, the Wood started to look as if it was beginning to recover. Tasks to complete included clearing both the small pond by the Glade and the Dewy Pond of increasing growth of pond weed. 

 

Volunteers in the process of clearing the small pond by the Glade. (photo Sam Taylor)

Of course, not all tasks are as specialised and one which is vital,  needs to be done every week and that is to clear litter from the Wood. 

 

Another great step forward in the autumn was the increase in of the number of work days. This has accelerated greatly the recovery of the Wood. 

Sunday volunteers and their haul of litter. (photo Sam Taylor)

Another aspect to managing the Wood is to help visitors enjoy their visit by giving information and explaining why certain measure have been taken. This can be informal notices like this one explaining why visitors are asked to keep to the path in sensitive areas...

 

photo Sam Taylor

 

Or this one where particularly good clumps of wood anemones are growing...

 

However, on a more formal level, funding was obtained to have new interpretation, map and notice boards designed and installed. These help visitors to understand the history and ecology of the Wood. 

 

This new board explains the central role in the Wood's history of the old railway line from Nunhead to Crystal Palace. (photo Sam Taylor)

A new map board at the Lapsewood Walk entrance

The new board at the Crescent wood Road entrance which explains the importance of the Great North Wood alongside a space for more general information posts for the Wood.

Therefore as another year is ushered in, the Wood is in a much stronger position than it was at the start of 2021. There is still no news on the long running issue of the planned repairs to Cox's Walk Bridge, so it is to be hoped that this new year will bring a resolution that will accommodate the needs of the Wood and its community of visitors, supporters and volunteers. Assuming there are no further interruptions, the work to conserve and protect the Wood will continue and help protect this very special place.