For several years Gloucester Vale Conservation Volunteers (GVCV) has teamed up with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust (GWT) to help restore heathland in the Forest of Dean.

This year GVCV enjoyed an October residential weekend working at Woorgreens nature reserve, with the majority of the group staying together in nearby Pillowell.

The reserve includes a seven-hectare lake and over 50 hectares of mixed scrub, woodland and open heathland. The site has previously been used for commercial forestry. GWT are working with volunteers to remove trees and scrub to restore rare lowland health land. This habitat type is important to a range of plant, fungi and animal species including adders. According to GWT, the UK has lost of over 85% of lowland has been lost in the last 150 years due to land use changes.

The group returned to the lowland heath site we worked on in 2024 to continue clearance of birch and scrub. As with previous years the long horned highland cattle paid a keen interest in the group, our truck and any fresh leaves they could reach from felled birch trees.

The group enjoyed two days working to help restore this important heathland site, despite heavy rain leading to a shorter workday on Sunday.

Thank you everyone who joined GVCV for the weekend away.