With Permission from Cheshire Life Magazine

Top of the Copse 
Victoria Birch congratulates the winners of this year's Cheshire
Countryside Management and Wildlife Award, the Friends of Owley Wood, Weaverham 
Photographs: John Cocks

IF YOU go down to Owley Wood today you're in for a big surprise. For all the litter, vandalism, overgrown trees and years of neglect have been cleared away. And the Wood is now a safe place for children to play. All sections of the community can enjoy visiting this haven of wild flora and fauna. There is even wheelchair access so that no-one is excluded from the wood's new found beauty.
What is even more amazing is that all this hard work hasn't been done through a government scheme or national conservation group. The back-breaking tasks have been carried out by the villagers of Weaverham. Back in 1993 a tiny seed was sown. As part of the Tidy Britain Spring Clean campaign, residents joined forces with the local primary schools and scout groups to spruce up the Wood. Since then a strong and flourishing action group has grown and this year the 'Friends of Owley Wood' were rewarded for all their hard work when they were awarded the Cheshire Countryside Management and Wildlife Award for 1997.[PIC]
Owley Wood is an ancient woodland, part of the natural forest of centuries past, which sits on steep slopes running down to the River Weaver, forming a green eastern boundary to the village of Weaverham in Vale Royal. This landscape links the pastoral with the industrial The population growth of Weaverham in the early part of this century was closely linked with the rapid expansion of the new chemical industry in Northwich. And in recent years, Owley Wood has faced rapidly increasing problems, notably vandalism to trees and extensive tipping of all kinds.
Through the work of the 'Friends of Owley Wood' community 'ownership' of the Wood has strengthened, and the number of active 'Friends' in the Weaverham community has steadily increased. There are now more than 100 adult supporters in addition to the help given by local schools and youth groups. To make sure no one misses out on any important news, action secretary Neil Tempest produces a regular newsletter, updating members on progress and working weekends. Neil says: 'The active voluntary "Friends" aim to come together each month for an Action Weekend. These involve setting to the tasks highlighted in our Management Plan which was initiated when the group started in 1993.'
So far work has included combating invasive Himalayan Balsam, clearing and strengthening footpaths and installing new boardwalks and stiles, constructing flights of steps to make parts of the Wood more easily accessible and building a bridge over a deep and wide gully.
Access for the physically disabled is a major and continuing objective of the group. Volunteers of all ages have worked together to install a fieldfare gate, which is a deterrent to motor cycles and horses, but facilitates access by foot and by wheelchair. This has been followed with a second gate, fencing and new signs which record that Owley Wood is part of the Mersey Forest in Vale Royal.
Hedging has been installed along the south western edge of the wood and more than 400 trees have been planted to replace sycamore. Pupils from the village primary schools also planted more trees for the Wood as part of a National tree Week. Where the overpowering sycamore once stood there is now oak and ash, under planted with hazel and hawthorn.
The group is completely dependent on the support of villagers, without them none of this would have been achieved. Often the work is tedious, boring and tiring, yet those who give their time freely feel it is all worthwhile to see the Wood flourishing.
The group has received some help from the British trust of Conservation volunteers (BTCV) who helped restore and improve pathways during its 'Natural Breaks' project. And as part of the Mersey Basin Campaign 10th Anniversary weekend, reed beds were installed by the 'Friends' in the 'old' river alongside the Wood. This project was supported by the National Rivers Authority (NRA) and BTCV Special Landscapes Project. A major fencing project was also generously funded by ICI.
This year the 'Friends' have concentrated on a project which aims to ensure 'Safe and Secure Community Access' through fencing and path improvements.
While community enjoyment, appreciation and 'ownership' of the Wood is an important on-going target. Guided walks focussing on trees and plants have been well supported, and more are planned for the future. And appreciation of the birds of Owley Wood has been fostered by an excellent guide, drawn up by an enthusiastic 'Friend' .
The group is also working with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, through Wildlife WATCH, to foster wider community enjoyment of nature, and especially Owley Wood. All five schools in Weaverham are now members of the Vale Royal WATCH Education .service, and appreciation of the Wood by young people is steadily growing. The schools have joined a network of schools across the Mersey Community Forest to explore and promote the forest as an educational and environmental resource. One of the projects allowed 40 youngsters from Weaverham Schools to join community artists Sarah Hill and Russell Kirk in exploring the Wood from different arts and crafts perspectives, including woodland sculpture, tree banners, sketching and ink work. And, as if to reinforce the success of the volunteers, Vale Royal has based its new WATCH Club at the Scout Hall in Owley Wood Road.[PIC]
The group still has a long way to go and feel this is an ongoing project which will continue for years to come. They have received, through the Woodlands Grant Scheme of the forestry Commission, financial help to fund the gradual removal of invasive sycamore, and to fund more planting of trees native to this ancient woodland. Moreover, the purchase of tools for the 'Friends' has been supported by a substantial grant from the Vale Royal Environmental Network and Vale Royal Borough Council. But this conservation award from Cheshire Community Council, an engraved commemorative sign for the Wood together with a £200 grant from Cheshire County Council and the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, gives them recognition for their demonstration of commitment to nature conservation through action on the ground.
'A lot of people have put a great deal of hard work into this project and I am very pleased they have been recognised for that. We will endeavour to keep the work up and hope that generations to come will follow by our example.'
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