You will see from the Management Page that thanks to the work of Peter Matthiessen and members of the Trust we have updated and upgraded the format of the Management Plan to ensure we have the correct format for the Forestry Commission.

We continue improving the biodiversity of the wood by opening up a Glade within the wood to explore the potential for new species to gain a foothold.

There will be some heavy work to be done at some stage and we apologise for any disturbance this may cause later in the year.

As we stated in the Management Plan we are undertaking a number of actions to increase the Biodiversity of the wood and allow more light through the canopy.

This will encourage a greater variety and quantity of plants which will in turn ensure we manage the Wood for maximum diversity.

Widening of existing path to allow more light to edges of the ride

After many years of neglect and decay we are delighted to say that the stabilisation and restoration of the Lime Kiln has been completed with funding from the Friends of The Lake District and our own resources. Jack Ellerby worked closely with the contractors to ensure the structure was repaired to its original outline using the existing materials that had been partly buried over the decades. the stabilisation will ensure that the Iconic heart of the wood remains in good order for many years to come.

Our thanks go to all involved and Jack in particular who not only worked to complete the project but ensured the best value for both the Wood and the Friends.

The photos show the Initial project and of course the final outcome.

The Final Restoration

Our long-standing project to partially restore the 19^th century lime kiln in the wood has finally borne fruit. The kiln had suffered serious collapse over the years and was at risk of complete disintegration, which would have been a pity given the iconic nature of the structure. With the help of a grant kindly provided by Friends of the Lake District, we have now partially restored the kiln and stabilised it against further collapse. The only stone used in the repairs was that which had previously fallen from the structure, and the correct lime mortaring techniques were used to ensure that the repairs were fully in keeping with the original. Visitors to the wood are able to see where the limestone feedstock was quarried in Victorian times, as well as being able to examine the kiln in which it was burned with charcoal or coke to make lime. The lime was mainly used to sweeten the acid soils prevalent in much of Cumbria, and also formed the basis for lime mortar used in traditional buildings.

Restoration of the Lime Kiln. We have applied for grants to stabilise and consolidate the Lime Kiln. As part of this project we also plan to research more of the history of the kiln and to share its heritage with all who are interested

Further details will be available from the revised and updated Management plan shortly.