News

Biffa Award for Brockley Bank Grassland Habitat
in the Kent North Downs

A little owl turned up to watch.

Gorham and Admiral Community Woodland at Bicknor was awarded a £30,000 grant by Biffa Award to buy a five acre paddock beside the wood. Now that the sale has completed it will begin to be transformed into what it originally was, a beautiful chalk grassland meadow. Chalk grassland in the UK is an increasingly rare habitat. When restoration is complete small mammals such as the dormouse, rare butterflies and bats such as the Grizzled Skipper and Soprano Pipstrelle will be attracted back to the area by the plants and trees that will now grow there. Brockley Bank Grassland Habitat, as it will be known, will also become one of two interconnected meadow habitats in the beautiful 85 acre ancient woodland. Hilary Nightingale, representing The Cromarty Trust, unveiled the Biffa Award plaque in the Brockley Bank Grassland Habitat. She was watched by by a group of well wishers who attended and an uninvited guest, a little owl, who watched from a nearby clump of grass.

Butterfly orchids have been in abundance this year.

Wildlife Walks

A series of events in the woods that will focus on a group of plants and animals when they are at their finest. Each walk will be led by an expert in the field and help people to identify and record wildlife.

Our last walk held on the May Bank holiday Monday was attended by nearly 50 people. Because of the warm spring weather the tree cover was very advanced for the time of year and the bluebells were nearly over. But very many orchids were in bloom including the Lesser Butterfly Orchid, Early Purple Orchid and Lady Orchid.
If you wish to be advised when wildlife walks take place please let us know. If possible an email address would be helpful.

The woods are open to the public and you are welcome to visit at any time. All footpaths are signposted. Regular events each year include Wildlife Walks and Practical Days.

Practical Days

A chance to do something to improve the woodlands for both wildlife and human visitors. All tools and training will be provided on the day - just turn up with sturdy shoes and protection against the elements.