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'If Nature Thrives - We All Thrive'
Projects
The Lost Wood Carving
2020 This was our first project and the point when we approached our future landlord, Sam Galsworthy of Trewithen Estate before embarking on the Play Area project.
The wooden carving had been engulfed in bramble & bracken for about 15 years until we freed it from its thorny shackles
The Lost Wood Carving
After clearing the area, the past 5 years have produced a variety of wildflowers which had never been seen before, such as Musk Mallow, St Johns Wort, Bluebell, Violet, Primrose, Greater Stitchwort, Red Campion, Foxglove, Hemp Agrimony and grasses.
The Lost Wood Carving
An addition to the mosaic of habitats we are creating throughout the woodland and river site.
We now see year on year, new wildflowers and trees popping up instead of bramble & bracken engulfing the area.
Derelict Hut
2022 This was an area on our land which the public, their children & dogs accessed, but it was full of hidden dangers, such as rusty barbed wire & corrugated sheets of metal, some protruding from the ground.
We considered it too dangerous to leave it in situ so we cleared the lot. Any salvagable metals were taken to a local resident who collected metal and the proceeds were given to a Cornwall charity
Derelict Hut
This is just a fraction of the barbed wire, metal sheets & angle iron removed from the site of the derelict hut alongside other unwanted materials such as baler twine & plastic sheets buried on site
Derelict Hut
No more rusty barbed wire, metal sheets, plastic sheets or baling twine, just a blank canvas to let Mother nature paint her own beautiful picture
Play Area
2020 Clearing the area of nettles, bramble, bracken & wood which were then moved to another area for use as brash piles. These piles provide cover for small mammals, birds, amphibians & reptiles. The decomposing wood & plant material creates a habitat for insects, which feed other animals.
It's a thriving micro-habitat benefitting wildlife
Play Area
The Monteray Pine tree's sturdy branches provide a suitable place for a rope & tyre swing, whilst its trunk has climbing holds attached. The temporary safety fencing was replaced by a wooden fence thanks to a local funding pot - Garlennick Wind Farm Ltd
Play Area
The ground area was covered with woodchips, kindly donated by a local arborist and the picnic benches were provided by Cllr Bunney's Chest Fund for local projects. The woodchips have since rotted down and each year the area blossoms with Red Campion, Buttercups, Ox-eye Daisy, Wild Angelica, Speedwell & Ground-ivy to name just a few
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Derelict Hut
2022
This photo may look drastic, but see the photo below this one, which shows how quickly nature takes over and how the benefits for wildlife grow in abundance when invasive species such as bramble & bracken are removed
Derelict Hut
2025
The site where the derelict hut once stood is now full of native wildflowers and trees such as Guelder Rose, Bird Cherry, Oak, Hazel and a Hawthorn hedge. Some trees have self-seeded and others we have planted with free trees from The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)
Derelict Hut
In just 3 years, the site of the derelict hut has blossomed with life. Instead of a monoculture of bramble & bracken, we now have another addition to our mosaic of habitats in the woodland
Hazel Hurdle Fencing in the Making
$600
Hazel Hurdle Fencing Summer
$600
Hazel Hurdle Fencing Winter
$600
Tree Planting with TCV
In 2021, we began a schedule of tree planting, mainly along the chain-link fence which was a remnant of a time when part of the woodland was a sewage treatment plant about 40-50 years ago. We wanted to create a hedgerow of native species such as Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Elder, Dog Rose, Bird Cherry, Hazel, Dogwood, Beech & Oak
Tree Planting with TCV
2025
Below is a photo of the Hazel hedge as seen in the photo above, it's just in the opposite direction.
Rhododendron Clearing
A section of the river & riverbank was dominated by the invasive species - Rhododendron ponticum.
The weight of the trees were compromising the stability of the riverbank, also the branches reached across the river, touching the opposite bank.
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Rhododendron Clearing with Westcountry Rivers Trust
The Westcountry Rivers Trust Team of Arborists about to tackle cutting down the Rhododendron.
Alder Plantation Thinning with WRT
2023 With another round of funding, Westcountry Rivers Trust arborists felled some of the trees in the Alder plantation. This was to open up the woodland to create a glade where we could plant a diverse range of trees such as Silver Birch, Wild Cherry, Bird Cherry, Hawthorn, Spindle, Yew, Beech, Oak, Horse Chestnut. We have had quite a few young trees kindly donated to us by local folk
The Foxglove Glade
2023 Lindsay sowing the woodland wildflower & grasses seed in the glade. We have her to thank for the beautiful display that followed
Tree Planting with TCV
https://www.tcv.org.uk/i-dig-trees-free-trees/
We received free tree packs from The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and planted along the chain-link fence and other areas of the woodland, especially on the riverbank. Below shows how many trees we have planted through TCV each year
Tree Planting with TCV
Bird Cherry planted along the river Fal, flowering for the first time in 2025
Rhododendron Clearing
R. ponticum may look impressive with its show of flowers, but it has little or no benefit to wildlife and blocks out light with its spreading form, becoming a dank, dark area supporting no life but its own
Rhododendron Clearing with Westcountry Rivers Trust
In 2022, we gained funding to collaborate with Westcountry Rivers Trust (WRT) to cut down the Rhododendron and plug the stumps with chemicals to prevent regrowth. Funding from Garlennick Wind Turbine Fund was match-funded by WRT
Bat Box Installation with WRT & Cornwall Bat Group
A range of Bat boxes were kindly donated and installed throughout the woodland by Westcountry Rivers Trust with support from Cornwall Bat Group
The Foxglove Glade
Below is the glade after clearing bramble & bracken.
The creation of The 'Foxglove' Glade was purely incidental in that, the Emorsgate seed mix we had sown, contained native woodland wildflowers and grasses, but what actually dominated the glade was Foxgloves with the odd Ragged Robin making an appearance!
2024 Foxglove Frenzy
Community Noticeboard
Friends of the Fal applied for funding for a Community Noticeboard/Trail Board through Garlennick Wind Farm Fund, our local funders for Grampound projects. All groups in Grampound can apply to the fund to assist with their projects
Community Noticeboard/Trailboard
The grand opening of the noticeboard with Cornwall Councillor Michael Bunney, Cllr Shirley Turner and centre, Ben Dyson who designed and built the noticeboard right here in Grampound.
Funding from Garlennick Wind Turbine Fund made this project possible
Community Noticeboard/Trailboard
Local residents gathering for the grand opening
Play Area Safety Fencing
Having cleared the area of bramble, bracken & nettle, our priority was to seek funding for a new safety fence to replace the unsightly, plastic orange fencing
Play Area safety Fencing
With funding from Garlennick Wind Turbine Fund, we were able to have new safety fencing installed by local company Trelawny Landscaping St Austell
Phase 1 Habitat Survey
In 2021, we received funding from
Cornwall Community Foundation for a Phase 1 Habitat Survey.
This survey was vital to the Woodland Project as it gave us information on species of flora & fauna already recorded and the potential for managing our site for wildlife and enhancing habitats through recommendations from Cornwall Wildlife Trust
New Gates
With funding from Garlennick Wind Turbine Fund, we were able to install new gates for the entrance to the Fal woodland. These were expertly installed by a local company in Probus -
Mark Shipway Landscapes
New Gates for the Children's Play Area
Through Garlennick Wind Turbine Fund, we were able to install two new gates for the play area, also installed by Mark Shipway Landscapes.
With the new fencing also funded by Garlennick Wind Farm Fund, the Play area feels much more secure
Ash Planks
In December 2022, some of the Ash trees in the Fal Woodland were cut down due to Ash dieback. These trunks were later 'planked' by expert arborist Jon 'the miller' Arthur as the photo shows below.
These planks will be made into seats within the woodland in the near future. Funding supplied by Garlennick Wind Turbine Fund
Ash Planks
The skilful art of 'planking'
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Ash Planks
It is always sad to see trees felled but there is generally a justification as to why. Trees may have come to their end of life and pose a danger and the same can be said for trees that are suffering from pest & disease such as Ash Dieback.
The Ash that was felled will have a new purpose in the woodland, whether it is seating, fencing, signage or any other use. The smaller branches can be made in to log piles, brash piles or an hibernaculum for wildlife to benefit from.
The decaying wood will be host to many forms of life for years to come, just look around the log piles in the woodland to see the array of different types of Fungi!
Phase 1 & 2 Habitat Survey
Thanks to the funding from Cornwall Community Foundation, we have been in a position to create a mosaic of habitats in the Fal Woodland using the information and recommendations for future biodiversity. It still is very much a work in progress as we seek funding for a Phase 2 Habitat Survey for 2025/26
