Find out about the Friends of Ashenground and Bolnore Woods community group

Michelle Thomasson

Friends of Ashenground and Bolnore Woods take care of ancient woodland which form a Local Nature Reserve owned by Mid Sussex District Council on the southwestern edge of Haywards Heath.

The woods contain beautiful old Hornbeams and Beech trees that were once coppiced along with ancient Oaks, Ash, Hazel and Field Maples. There are meadows, ponds and a small orchard area (from horses once fed on apples) and a main bridleway that follows a very old access route through the heart of the woods.

In early spring, while the sunlight can still reach the woodland floor, wildflowers (some of which are ancient woodland indicators) start to bloom. From the early Primroses, Snowdrops and Daffodils to Lesser Celandines and the delicate Wood Anemones, the woodland floor is dappled with yellow and white. Lilac Crocuses, purple Violets and the intense blue of our native Bluebells then brightly follow.

The woods are popular, which means a heavy footfall, so the volunteers use branches from their coppicing to make dead hedges along pathways encroaching into wildflower areas. The dead hedges provide habitat and act as natural barriers, guiding visitors to follow the paths and help the wildflowers recover.

The volunteers also mow and scythe meadows and prune pathways in line with a conservation plan to increase woodland flora and invertebrate habitats.

The friends meet on the third Saturday of each month and organise free, seasonal events, such as woodland art classes, bug and fungi hunting and a bat search using handheld detectors. For more information: Facebook: @FoABW and Instagram: @foabwsussex