Throughout the year, PROSPECTS has been carrying out pollinator surveys on Peel Park and the Coppice LNR. Measuring the abundance and distribution of species is vitally important for monitoring species health, climate change, and the effectiveness of conservation actions. Nationally, surveys provide data which allows climate scientists, conservationists, and insect experts to get a greater […]
Welcome to our new Outdoor Learning Officer
We are pleased to announce that Sonja Bottomer has joined the Prospects Team as our new Outdoor Learning Officer. The Outdoor Learning Project has come about as a result of an initiative funded and promoted by the Ernest Cook Trust, and supplemented by the Windfall Fund. Sonja’s role is all about educating people about the […]
First Memorial Park Session
On Wednesday 15th November we had the first Memorial Park volunteering session! Volunteers used hand tools to cut back and fell Rhododendron and Cherry Laurel shrubs to improve the biodiversity value of Roundwood! The team made a tremendous start! Around 6 shrubs were cleared with the arisings being moved closer to the road for later […]
Pleck Meadow 2023 Annual Cut
On Monday 11th, September 2023, Pleck Meadow at Peel Park and the Coppice LNR had its 2nd annual cut! Annual cut & rakes are an important part of wildflower meadow management as it reduce nutrients in the soil which overtime will ensure that vigourous grasses and invasive species do not overrun an area. A wider […]
Acorn Picking with Woodnook Primary School
Last week Woodnook Primary School’s Year 3s helped our Community TreeACTION Officer Helen collect acorns from their local Jubilee Woodland. The children were amazing at picking acorns; they gathered over 1,000! The group kept moving as to not over-pick one area, and any ‘duds’ (acorns that floated in water and therefore were not viable for […]
UKBMS Butterfly Surveys
The United Kingdom Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) is one of the longest running insect monitoring schemes in the world. Starting in 1976, the scheme is one of the most important resources for understanding changes in insect populations. As part of this, Chloe from the Green Spaces team has been leading weekly transects around Peel Park […]
Wildfire 2023 – Peel Park and the Coppice LNR
After a lack of rain for several weeks, a wildfire started at Peel Park and the Coppice LNR on Wednesday 14th June. The fire spread NNW nearly 300m along the heathland at the top. The emergency service response was fast, and the firefighters quickly contained the fire and prevented its further spread. It took a […]
Dead Hedges and Brash Piles – Peel Park and the Coppice LNR
Dead hedges and brash piles are constructed using twigs, branches and other cut vegetation. They form an invaluable habitat for a plethora of species. Invertebrates like insects, woodlouse and arachnids will use the piles to live in and nest. Some important pollinators like solitary bees will use hollow twigs to create their nests. Small mammals […]
Invasive Non-Native Species – Japanese Knotweed – Peel Park and the Coppice LNR
Like many Invasive Non-native Species in the UK, Japanese Knotweed was introduced by Victorian botanists as an ornamental garden plant. Sometimes called “Japanese Bamboo,” due to the visual similarites of its stems, but it’s shield-shaped leaves and purple speckled stems give it a striking appearance. The small white flowers that it produces in summer are mostly […]
Hyndburn’s Woodlands NOW LIVE!
The PROSPECTS Foundation is pleased to announce that the ‘Hyndburn’s Woodlands’ website is now live! The website can be found here: https://hyndburnwoodlands.org.uk/ The website aims to be a resource to map, assess and manage the woodland cover in Hyndburn, with information including; condition assessments, timber volume surveys and Ash Dieback monitoring. The website will also […]
Cubs Community Project
The Green Spaces Team linked up with the 109 Loyola Scout Group, Oswaldtwistle on the 18th February for some conservation management work. Sixteen Cubs, Beavers and Scouts along with the help of some of the leaders all came along to Spout House Community Woodland in Huncoat to help remove guards from the trees that were […]
Pleck Meadow Path Opening with Mayor of Hyndburn, Cllr Abdul Khan!
On 17th March 2023, a year of planning and development finally came to fruition as the new path and bridge to Pleck Meadow were finally completed! Local schools and members of the public came for an opening walk and witnessed the Mayor of Hyndburn, Cllr Abdul Khan, perform a ribbon cutting on the new bridge […]
Family friendly self-led Easter Egg Trail in Woodnook Vale!
The Green Spaces Team have created a family-friendly Easter Egg Trail that is now up in Woodnook Vale for the Easter Holidays! Follow the map below to find all 9 hidden letters, and unscramble them to unlock a spring-themed word! Follow THIS LINK to submit your word and be entered into a PRIZE DRAW! Contact […]
Rewilding Update March 2023
The Rewilding Project continues into the Spring/Summer season with lots of hardwork and preperation going into the Commmunity Garden sites. The Rewilding Volunteers have been busy on GrOwING Wild Community Garden, Baxenden cutting back bramble from the pathways and stairs to aid access on the site. Woodnook Community Garden has seen extensive brash clearing with […]
Tree Planting Sessions in March with the Green Spaces Team
The Green Spaces Team are hosting four tree planting sessions across Hyndburn this March! See below for dates, times and meeting points. Contact Helen for more info helen.earnshaw@prospectsfoundation.org.uk
Habitat Piles and Maintenance – Woodnook Vale
On the 21st February the Green Team Volunteers were at Woodnook Vale conducting some site maintenance and biodiversity improvements. There was a large amount of brash left over from the recent felling works at Woodnook, this work was issued due to the presence of Ash trees suffering from Ash dieback disease. This disease weakens Ash […]
Winter Tree Identification Walk – Whinney Hill
On the 17th February the Green Team organised a winter tree ID walk with Prospects very own Woodland’s Officer, Gareth Muir. Attendees learnt how to identify tree species using different features such as twigs, buds, bark, growing habitat and surrounding habitat! This is quite a bit more tricky in winter due to the lack of […]
Spoon Carving, Huncoat East Woodland, Wednesday 15th February 2023
Participants took part in a spoon carving workshop at Huncoat East Woodlands. Sycamore was the wood of the day with participants using a variety of tools including’ froes, sloyds and crook knives to carve spoons. Many of the participants were total beginners and did well to make a useable spoon. PROSPECTS delivers a variety of […]
Half Term Crafting Club Monday 13th February 2023, The Woodnook Centre, Accrington.
February Half term saw the Crafting Club at the Woodnook Centre. Participants took part in natural craft activities including whittling! A skulk of foxes, mushrooms and movable rabbits were the order of the day, using locally sourced hazel wood from Hyndburn’s Woodlands. All made possible as part of Habitats and Heritage – Hyndburn’s Woodlands project, […]
Walk Leader Training
On the 8th February Prospects again asked for Paul Shoreman to come in and provide us with some training for staff and volunteers. This time, Paul was teaching us how to lead a guided walk. This involved learning about the different types of access and the legality of routes, how to plan and prepare for […]