Nature reserve at Cheston Combe Wood South, Backwell
Backwell is a village just seven miles south west of Bristol. With a population of 5,455, it punches well above its weight as an environmentally aware community.
In January 2005, Backwell Environment Trust (BET) was set up as
a charity by the villagers with the objective of purchasing a local
woodland and creating a nature reserve. Having succeeded with this,
the Trust has now acquired a second area of somewhat neglected
woodland - to be known in future as Badgers Wood Nature Reserve.
This has been possible because of a £59,578 grant from the Landfill
Communities Fund, which was provided by Viridor Credits working in
close association with Yanley and North Somerset Environmental
Company (YANSEC).
According to Bill Charnock, chairman of BET, buying the woodland
was not without its moments. Most, but not all of the 4.75ha (11.75
acre) wood was owned by a large company that underwent an internal
reorganisation during the negotiations. Nevertheless, a deal was
finalised and BET has started to implement its woodland management
plan.
As Ian Chambers, the leader of BET Volunteers explains: "The
ecology of Badgers Wood is divided in two. To the west, the land is
predominantly flat with dry, thin soils overlying hard limestone
bedrock. These areas were once extremely rich wildflower meadows
and the small area of meadow that survives shows an amazing
diversity of flowering plants, including the increasingly rare bee
and pyramidal orchids. "To the east, steeply sloping woodland is in
almost permanent shade, giving rise to ferns and fungi nestling
under exposed limestone cliffs. Wildlife on the reserve includes
peregrine falcons and rare dormice may even be present.
"Our plan is to remove scrub and bracken, coppice trees and
restore overgrown sections of rare limestone grassland. We also aim
to improve access and create new hedgerows. Subject to planning
permission, we would like to create a small car park and
wheelchair-friendly path with benches to make the most of a
stunning viewpoint".