After a delayed start due to technical issues Sherbourne u3a welcomed Andrew Ireland to discuss the work done by the Friends of Brandon wood (located east of Coventry).

The Friends are a charity which purchased the wood in January 2000 taking ownership of the 178 acre site. The wood itself is a remnant of the ancient Forest of Arden but in modern times had been used for the commercial enterprise of growing pine. This had led to a foreboding dark and dense mono-cultured area as illustrated by Andrew with photos.

The Friends set about creating paths, thinning the pines and developing a more wildlife friendly site by increasing the diversity and resilience of the site. This involves a considerable amount of machinery and manual effort. Some tasks such as clearing trees that have fallen across pathways need to be done with urgency, other tasks are a longer term project such as improving the drainage of paths.

One interesting point mentioned was that the early clearance of pine was done by specialised and efficient machines but local residents didn't like the 'mess' it left or the thought of chopping down trees (even though nature will sort it out) so the Friends now thin at a reduced rate, manually and more perhaps discretely. It's a reminder how communication, even of the good and necessary, is important.

The Friends celebrate their 25 anniversary in August 2025 with an open day. While there is plenty still to do and multiple challenges the improvement has been dramatic creating a much appreciated space in Coventry.