NEWS

At the end of the Summer Holidays, Helen and Robert teamed up to host a Bug Hunt around the new Bullough Community Woodland. A variety of methods were used, such as sweep netting through the grass, gentle tree shaking onto a collecting sheet, and pond dipping.

Some of the newest areas of the site were explored, and the group discovered an amazing variety of insects and other bugs, including: Four-spotted Orb Weaver, Blood-vein Moth, Common Globetail Hoverfly, male Red-tailed Bumblebee, Ladybird larvae, Harvestman, Green Leafhopper, Shield Bugs, and much more!

Most exciting, the pond, dug out only last October, was already home to Dragonfly larvae, Backswimmers (Greater Water Boatmen) and Water Beetles.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, it was a brilliant morning of exploring and discovering. Thank you to the Forestry Commission for funding the trees, the Windfall Fund for funding the wildflower meadow and the pond, Lancashire Wildlife Trust for creating the pond, and lastly Hyndburn Borough Council for allowing Helen to carry out educational work like this.

In August, our TreeACTION Officer Helen held a Summer Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop at Bullough Park's old bowling green (now home to our 'Family Trees' community orchard).

Helen taught the group about pruning cuts, tools to use and how to disinfect them, which buds to prune up to, how to spot the 3 Ds (dead, diseased or damaged branches), and how to reduce overcrowding.

Apple, plum and cherry trees were used as examples, all of which have been adopted by local people. It was great to see the orchard being used as a space for learning and sharing knowledge. Thank you to all who attended.

Earlier in the year, TreeACTION Officer Helen went back to St Hubert's Primary School to teach the students how to maintain the hedgerow that was planted by their peers two years prior.

Helen went through how to care for the young trees by straightening their canes and clearing grass from the tubes.

We’re delighted to see this hedgerow growing tall, it is already making such a positive impact for local wildlife whilst also helping to screen nearby building works and create more privacy for students.

Thank you to Trees for Cities and the Woodland Trust for providing the trees in 2024, and Hyndburn Borough Council for allowing Helen to carry out educational work like this.

The TreeACTION Project has successfully completed this year’s ‘Tree Maintenance Mondays’ volunteering programme, with weekly sessions taking place throughout May, June and July at sites across Hyndburn.

Each Monday, volunteers helped Helen carry out a variety of essential tree maintenance tasks to help young trees thrive. Work included clearing weeds and long grass from around hedgerows, applying woodchip mulch to retain moisture during the summer's dry weather, and replacing damaged tree stakes and protective tubes.

Throughout August, Helen will be carrying out tree health surveys to monitor the condition and progress of newly established trees. During the final Tree Maintenance Monday session at Peel Park & the Coppice, a quick count found that trees planted in the hedgerow in 2024 had achieved an impressive 98% survival rate! A fantastic outcome that reflects the value of ongoing care and maintenance.

A huge thank you goes to all of our dedicated volunteers for their hard work and enthusiasm, and to Hyndburn Borough Council for providing the funding.

The Bullough Community Woodland project has made significant progress since work began in summer 2025, with a series of major improvements transforming the site into a valuable space for people and wildlife.

Between summer and September 2025, new fencing, gates and accessible paths were installed to improve access and protect the developing woodland. In October, a large wildlife pond was created to provide an important new habitat, and in early December, just under 4,000 native trees were planted to establish the site's new woodland. More recently, benches have begun to be installed, with interpretation signs and an additional path due to be completed soon.

One of the project's most striking new features is the wildflower meadow. In March 2026, the nutrient-rich topsoil was carefully removed to create the ideal conditions for wildflowers to thrive. Throughout April, members of the local community took part in a series of volunteer sessions to sow the meadow with native wildflower seed suitable for Lancashire clay soils. Three months later, the area has already burst into colour, providing a fantastic display and an early indication of the meadow's potential. As the meadow matures over the coming months and years, even more wildflower species are expected to emerge.

The ecological benefits are already being monitored through monthly BeeWalk surveys, which record pollinator activity across the site. It is hoped that, over the coming years, these surveys will demonstrate a measurable increase in pollinator populations, helping to boost local biodiversity and providing valuable evidence of the project's long-term environmental impact.

The wildflower meadow was funded by our local Windfall Fund (click HERE to learn more about this brilliant community benefit fund)

Bullough Community Woodland project partners: the Prospects Foundation, Hyndburn Borough Council, and Proffitts CIC Investing in Communities