LOCAL naturalists have visited the Centenary Glade project in Queens Wood, Kempley, to help develop a winter development plan for the beauty spot.

The Heritage Lottery Funded Project aims to show “how ancient woodland can be managed for the benefit of both local people and nature, within a sustainable forestry enterprise.”

The project also marks the centenary anniversary of the end of the First World War, and work and ideas are already gathering pace.

Chris Bligh of the Dymock Forest Rural Action group said: “ On a fine Thursday morning in November the Ledbury Naturalists Field Club mustered for the first time at the newly mulched site of The Centenary Glade.

“The day proved a valuable recce for considering the winter’s development plan.”

Mr Bligh added: “The Forestry Commission have identified four species of ‘low coppice’ shrub plants, for planting amongst the ground cover of the central ride to create an edge of differing heights of vegetation and therefore valuable ecological diversity.

“They have have also decided to include less common native species, such as wild service tree, wych elm, guelder rose and alder buckthorn.”

The hope is that, by managing the glade in this way, butterflies such as the Brimstone could be encouraged and attracted, and also rare species of moth, such as the Drab Looper Moth, which is often found in ancient woodlands.

The encouragement of wild daffodils is also a major objective.

Mr Bligh said: “In due course this area will be managed by mechanical mowing to support a floristically rich sward.

"In late 2019, if ready, the sunny area will be seeded with wild daffodils, collected over recent years by Dymock Forest Rural Action seed guardians.

"This technique has proved successful across the Golden Triangle on the road verges and along the footpaths.

“The specific objective is to create a major ‘daffodil hotspot’ within 300 yards of the roadside for the convenience of visitors every spring.

"To this end our fundraising strategy seeks sponsorship of ‘buggy friendly’ tracks from the Kempley car park at Queens Wood, GL18 2BZ.

“The launch programme for this is in development, and we hope to have news in the new year of an open Saturday event, on March 2.”