The excitement begins

Julie explores Monkwood and land at Green Farm as our restoration project gets underway...

It’s a beautiful day, the sun is streaming through the windows and I am sat at my computer trying to write my first Monkwood Musings blog for you to read. How do I introduce myself? How do I interest you, the reader? How do I tell people how excited I am to be working as the Engagement Officer for this amazing project to restore land next to one of the Trust's most loved nature reserves, Monkwood?

So. My name is Julie Grainger and I hope that I can write imaginative blogs about this wonderful journey that I and the Trust find ourselves on. And I am very very excited; the idea of a job that involves talking to people about how important it is to look after our wild spaces, and to create more of them, is just amazing and I am so lucky to have been given this opportunity.

Monkwood nature reserve has been managed by the Trust since the 1980s. The charity Butterfly Conservation co-own part of the woodland and jointly manage it with the Trust. Recently the Trust bought an adjacent 23 hectares of land at Green Farm, which is made up of eight meadows.

Monkwood, it seems, is famous for dormice and wood white butterflies. One likes shade and the other likes sunshine so creating both conditions at Monkwood is paramount. Luckily, there is a wealth of knowledge at the Trust to ensure that many habitats are created within the wood and meadows to make it appealing to a variety of fauna and flora.

I have already made several visits to Monkwood, and the adjacent meadows, over the last few weeks and it is a great time of year to be starting a job like this. Who doesn’t love spring flowers- the start of colour and new life, less rain and more sunshine. Well, okay, so I definitely saw flowers and felt the rain, not sure what happened to the sunshine?! My advice to anyone wanting to visit this beautiful woodland in spring is to don a pair of wellies because the mud has a relentless ability to creep over the top of your footwear and hold you down. In fact, I was very glad to have gone visiting with colleagues, not only because of their astounding knowledge but also so I didn’t get stuck or, worse, fall over.

Green Farm hedgerow with wild rose in flower running into the distance with a meadow on the left by Paul Lane

Green Farm hedgerow by Paul Lane

A dormouse (sandy-coloured small mammal with a long tail) stretching as it moves from one stem to another by Ian Pratt

Dormouse by Ian Pratt

Monkwood nature reserve - trees are greening for spring and there are wildflowers on the ground by Paul Lane

Monkwood nature reserve in spring by Paul Lane

Wood white butterflies by Ion Riley

Having a blank canvas of eight meadows leads to an inspiring project and, Dom, the reserve manager, has plans to include wood pasture, meadow, an orchard, woodland and hedges. A priority is to maintain and create as many corridors as possible (not the sort that you get told off for running in but the kind that animals, such as dormice, like and need). This will be achieved by careful planning of work by contractors and volunteers with help from local primary schools, Wildgoose Training, parish councils, a nearby historical society and other interested community groups.

It would be great to hear from anyone who lives nearby that might be interested in volunteering or that might want to know more. This summer we are planning to hold an event to showcase the plans for the additional 23 hectares of land at Green Farm, so watch this space for further information.

I couldn't finish my first blog without giving a big thank you to all the funders that made this exciting project possible. Thank you to Trust members, the public, National Lottery players via the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Severn Waste Services, The Banister Charitable Trust, 3dtotal.com Ltd and The LG Harris Charitable Trust, without whose generous donations we would not have been able to save the land and undertake our ambitious vision to recreate a historic and connected landscape.