This month we have been continuing with access works and repairs to the path in Coed Dyrysiog. This Project is supported by Natures Networks Accessible Nature Fund. The fund has also allowed us to install a new fence to keep out the neighbour’s sheep and cattle. We also re-discovered an old cart track leading down to a ford in the fast flowing Nant Bran. We cleared the bramble and debris off the old track, and wondered what life would have been like when there were more people coming and going. Strangely, this Wood is actually a Common. In the past it was probably much more open and the public would have had rights to take some sizable pieces of wood!

It has been a good year for nuts and seed (a “mast year”) and by mid October there was a carpet of acorns around many oak trees. Bright green little apples stood out and we recorded a few wild apple trees (to be DNA tested later!) . Staff (Steph and Sarah) attended training organised by the Woodland Trust. They learnt about improving the availability of local provenance trees for tree planting projects in Wales. This highlighted the importance of knowing where some of our less common trees are. We hope that in the future we can support our partners to achieve this and make use of the amazing genetic resource in our own woodland nature reserves.