20 4th Year students braved sub-zero temperatures to do some valuable conservation work on Redhill Common.  They “scalloped” the edges of a footpath, previously over-grown, to create a more attractive and secure avenue for walkers through the woods.  The felling of invasive alien sycamore and laurel improves the habitat for native species such as oak, silver birch and hawthorn, allowing light to penetrate to the forest floor giving younger saplings and woodland flowers a chance to grow through and thrive.  In addition, the edge habitats thus created improve niches for nesting birds and raptors to feed in woodland glades.  Creating a patchwork of habitats improves the diversity of species in an area.   Felled logs and brashings left lying give reptiles, hibernating insects and amphibians a safe environment and food availability for higher species of birds and woodland mammals.  Our students did an excellent job today and achieved significant progress in very cold conditions: well done!

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