NM BAP News 22nd March 2007: Harthill Copse Reprieved

Harthill Copse is a small urban woodland on the very edge of Calderstones Park in Liverpool. The woodland is around 20 or so years old and developed on a couple of allotment plots that were not used. A plan to fell the trees in order to make another couple of allotment plots avaialable was opposed by a number of the allotment holders who value the copse for its wildlife. With the support of the North Merseyside Biodiversity Manager, the allotment hodlers petitioned the council (the owners of the allotments) to prevent the wood from being felled. Chris Briggs (Head of Allotment Services) and Senior Councillor Berni Turner (Executive Member of Heritage & Environment) agreed that the woodland should not be felled and a letter to that effect was sent to the Allotments Committee.

Allotment holders now have plans to enhance the biodiversity of Harthill Copse and realise its full benefits to the community Close quotes

Allotment holders now have plans to enhance the biodiversity of Harthill Copse and realise its full benefits to the community. They have already erected bird and bat boxes, and future plans inlcude the following:

plant wildflowers from bulbs and seeds (action - prepare woodland floor and source seeds);
increase insects (action - create natural habitats such as log piles etc);
increase woodland variety (action - plant Rowan, Hazel and other seed and nut bearing native plants);
create wet area (action - excavate a pond to encourage dragonflies, newts and frogs);
create public bird hide with feeding station (action - work with the RSPB and attract funds); and
encourage mammals (action - build hedgehog boxes in the surrounding bramble and the increasing of insect life).