Members of the Dane Valley Woods group are calling for volunteers to help them put a recovery plan into action following a fire that devastated one acre of the 12 acre site last week.
The blaze on August 5 is believed to have been set deliberately. Kent Fire and Rescue Service spent three and a half hours bringing the flames under control.
The damage resulted in a devastating loss of habitat and wildlife but the volunteer group is now setting to work to clear the site of debris and burnt vegetation to prepare the land for new planting.
Plans include wider paths and new meadows, designated areas for bramble regrowth, and establishing a new hedgerow on the eastern boundary.
In the burnt out area the group will plant new hedgerow and wildflower meadows . The plan is to plant some 600 trees but this will be done in stages with the first 200 planted by winter.
Immediate work: Clearance & Preparation – removing debris from the burnt site, litter picking, making it safe for further work, marking paths, meadow and grassland areas
Medium term: Nurture & Recovery – existing wildflower meadow maintenance and establishment of new meadows in the fire affected area, tree care – freeing existing trees from encroaching vegetation
Longer term: Hedgerow Planting & Aftercare – establishment of hedgerow on the SE border of the woods, tree planting and aftercare, ongoing maintenance of grassland, meadow and paths.
The aim is to restore and enhance the essential habitat, refuge and source of food for many wildlife species, This will include creating a wildlife corridor connecting to an existing flourishing hedge near the site along the railway line. This will increase carbon capture and act as a wind and fire belt to help prevent spread of wildfires in the future.
The group is appealing for help both in the form of volunteers on task days and through donations to a gofundme to help buy wildflower seeds, equipment and purchase the trees from Habitat Aid.
Dane Valley Woods chairperson Steve Darling said: “The site is managed by a small steering group of volunteers, and we would like to express our gratitude for the outpouring of goodwill and offers of assistance from the local community.
“Since last Wednesday we have been working on a plan that we are calling Recovery and Resilience. In summary, it consists of clearance and preparation, nurture and recovery and hedgerow planting and aftercare.
“The plan will introduce wider paths and meadows, designate areas for bramble regrowth, and establish a new hedgerow on the eastern boundary.
“We are putting the call out for volunteers to help, starting with this Sunday (16 August). Any assistance will make a huge difference, people power in action!
“We have also set up a GoFundMe page if anyone would like to show support and help make this plan a reality.
The task day this Sunday from 10am to 1pm will only be suitable for adult volunteers, due to the presence of ash. Dust masks will be provided.
Following this, another task day on August 30, 10am to 1pm, will be preparing the area with marking out and clearing bramble and vegetation from existing trees.
On September 27 and October 25, same times as previously, there will be maintenance, tree care, mulching and work to create new wildflower meadows.
Between November and February work will take place on the new hedgerow, tree planting and maintenance.
Dane Valley Woods is a young community woodland on a former landfill site. The project is run entirely by volunteers, who since its inception in 2002, have planted over 6,500 trees on the 12 acre site.
The group also manage the site following an ecologist developed land management plan, creating and maintaining a rich mosaic of habitats, increasing biodiversity and making the site accessible to the local community through a myriad of pathways.
Find the fundraising page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/dane-valley-woods-project-recovery-resilience
To keep up to date with task days find the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/DaneValleyWoods/
