The Dane Valley Woods volunteers are fundraising to help them deal with the devastation after a large fire tore through the 12-acre site on Wednesday (August 31).
Six fire engines and the all-terrain vehicle attended the blaze which started near the allotments and forest school but then spread as it was fanned by the wind.
It is estimated around a quarter of the woodland site has suffered severe damage.
Volunteer Kashmir Flint said: “Dane Valley Woods was established in 2003 and has had upwards of 6,400 native trees planted across the 12 acre site. As a result, the site has become a refuge for wildlife, with dozens of species being recorded, including lizards, voles, foxes and kestrels.
“The loss of habitat and food sources, such as fruiting trees and shrubs, will likely have a detrimental impact on our wildlife through the coming seasons, as well as the likely loss of life directly from the fire.
“Upsettingly, the fire also spread through a newly planted area, where saplings had recently been planted with our local sponsors.
“The setback that this fire has caused for our flourishing woodland is major, and our entirely voluntary-run team are devasted by its impacts. We are fundraising for some new equipment that will enable us to deal with large areas of burnt vegetation, such as hedge cutters.
“Further equipment and services may be needed to address other potential hazards, such as larger unsteady trees that have been burnt. These are new challenges for our committee team and we are in the process of assessing the situations and seeking advice when needed.
“Much of our behind-the-scenes work is dedicated to fundraising for our yearly running costs, but with these new challenges, we are less likely to have spare time to dedicate to this aspect of our work. Our yearly running costs are around £500 each year and this is the amount we are hoping to raise with donations.
“We have already been flooded with messages of sympathy and encouragement and we are ever thankful for our community who love the woods as much as we do.”
The team were helped to assess the damage through aerial photos taken by photographer Frank Leppard. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Find the fundraising page here
Visit the group’s facebook page or check out the website at www.danevalleywoods.org
Surely Riveroak can buy some more public favour by buying some more trees, mere peanuts with the £500million they say they have !
What’s it got to do with Riveroak, egon Spengler,I take it you will be donating
https://rsp.co.uk/news/rsp-supports-isle-of-thanet-trees-and-woods-initiative-with-100000-donation/
Looks a lot like it is to do with them !
“RSP is committed to investing in the long term future of Thanet – not just in the airport, but in its people, communities and environment too. We are delighted to be involved in the Isle of Thanet Trees and Woods Initiative to increase the amount of woodland across five key sites in Thanet, with all of the attendant health, social and environmental impacts this will bring. We see this as a tangible opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to reopening Manston in a balanced and responsible way and look forward to participating in the delivery of the initiative in the months and years ahead.”
Will you be donating
The Isle of Thanet Trees and Woods Initiative (ITTWI) and Dane Valley Woods https://danevalleywoods.org/
Are completely separate organisations!
Dane Valley Woods is a separate organisation to ITTWI. DVW does not accept trees for carbon off-setting, we are not funded or sponsored by RSP. We are all unpaid volunteers that do our own fundraising for the woods.
Nature grows back stronger and healthier after a fire. Just leave it to do its thing. No donations needed.
I’m not against raising funds for this area even though there is no chance of me visiting the area, trees saplings will need replacing they are expensive, brambles grass and 99% of other vegetation will grow back once we get a good drop of rain if the fireman’s hosing has not started the green shoots, when I used to live in view of the area including allotments even working one a big percentage of it was bramble and grasses which in my experience when they were burnt down with a flame gun /weed killing blow torch used to come back double the thickness without having to replant it will look bad for a few months after the winter if not a few weeks you’ll see it return, what cannot be replaced is the insects that will take time for them in other sections untouched by fire to breed and re populate all areas.i will donate next pension day. What it needs is water most of all before any saplings are planted not just to ease hole digging but we have the least amount of water here for many years.
Dane Valley Woods are a different organisation to ITTWI. DVW does not accept trees for carbon off-setting, we are not funded or sponsored by RSP. We are unpaid volunteers that do our own independant fund-raising
A question for the Dane Valley Woods people – would it be helpful to donate new trees. I have a constant supply of cobnut trees and bay trees which self-seed in my garden. You can find me on Facebook and let me know!
the thing with fires is of glass is around or even broken the heat we have can cause a fire its like a magnifying glass and the heat can cause this to happen and tbh I don’t understand why they can’t build houses there yes the woodland is lovely but I do feel houses would be nicer has the over grown is not nice if it was kept tidy it be lovely but it just overgrown bushes