THE RIDE BETWEEN THE MILL POOL DAM AND HILL HOOK ROAD
Conservation work has taken place to open up and establish a north to south ride in woodland between the Mill Pool Dam and Hill Hook Road. The dense tall woodland which has alder, oak, birch and aspen trees, some of which are very heavily covered with ivy, form a dark block which resembles a conifer plantation in terms of light levels reaching the ground.
Paul Stephenson Senior Ecologist from The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and The Black Country along with a number of volunteers, spent a number of Saturdays working in woodland to open up and establish the ride.
Volunteers have felled, coppiced trees and shrubs, as well as clearing ivy from the trees. This will create a more open sunny and sheltered conditions along the 15 metre wide ride. The open conditions will be valuable for improved ground flora, vegetation for butterflies, other invertebrates and birds. Logs and branches have been laid along both sides of the ride to form a 'dead hedges' with the path meandering through the woodland. The dead hedges will help form a valuable habitat for nesting birds.
When the alder is cut down the wood goes a very bright orange/red colour. Traditionally this brittle wood was used for making clogs and broom heads. It was also used for stakes for revetment where the wood is resistant to rotting when wet.
Several people visiting the ride have remarked that the effect of opening up the walkway was appreciated and helped make it more open and pleasant instead of it being a daunting dark narrow corridor. Already the more open rise seems to be encouraging walkers to use this route.
It will be interesting to see how the ride develops as the vegetation grows and there are more open conditions for the ground flora. With more sunny sheltered conditions, butterflies, other invertebrates and birds will be more visible.