Sowing seeds of a green futureon site of former open-cast mine

AN ANCIENT woodland is being extended to cover a former open-cast mine, taking the site to a total of 362 acres and providing a new habitat for threatened species of birds.

Forest workers will plant 22,500 new trees alongside the existing ancient woodland at Wombwell Wood, taking in a site at Upper Woodhead which has been open-cast mined for coal.

The new trees will include 17,500 broad leaf varieties, including oak, wild cherry and ash. In addition, thousands of shrubs will be planted, with the intention of providing a habitat for a wide spectrum of wildlife, including some which have seen numbers dwindle nationally.

South Yorkshire has been identified as a key location for species like redstart and wood warbler by the Forestry Commission and the RSPB.

Andrew Powers from the Forestry Commission said: “This planting scheme is part of our ongoing project to revitalise one of South Yorkshire’s oldest oak woodlands and a key site for wildlife. Forestry is a long-term business and the trees we plant today will ensure this magical place thrives well into the future.”

Open cast work at Upper Woodhead ended in 2005 and afterwards the land was acquired by the Forestry Commission, to be restored as an attractive and accessible community woodland.