Entries by Sue Smith

BBC programme Spring Watch film in Woodland

Thanks to a member of the Friends bird feeders are regular stocked with seed and birds can be seen visiting these, including the controversial Ring-necked Parakeet. Recently a cameraman from the BBC programme Spring Watch was in the area recording these birds and who knows footage may be used during the forthcoming series? Our next […]

Montefiore Woodland safeguarded as a community asset – Village Green status

A woodland area in Ramsgate has been given Village Green Status. This means Montefiore Woodland is now protected against potential future development and will remain a green open space and woodland for local residents. Councillors Michelle Fenner and Alan Poole for Sir Moses Montefiore Ward are delighted with the outcome. They had organised the land […]

Woodland Work Parties (January – March, 2014) and Village Green status

Over the winter all work parties have been able to take place despite the poor weather conditions removing fallen trees/boughs as a result of the challenging winter storms. Much has been achieved, especially with the thinning of the trees as had been advised, thus opening up the canopy and allowing more light to the woodland […]

2014 Annual Report from the Committee

What a difference a year makes when you have an enthusiastic team of volunteers working in a woodland. Members of the public using the woodland frequently remark on the improvements and the fact that the area now feels safer and more welcoming. The wildflower meadow blossomed over the summer, producing a wide range of wild […]

Generous donation surprises and delights the Friends.  

Prior to the Friends of Montefiore Woodland being formed, there was a group known as MAP (Montefiore Action Project) over-seeing the Woodland site. This group was active between 1999 and 2008 and their initial concern was regarding prospective development of the site prior to the building of the medical centre, as well as clearing rubbish and caring for […]

Fine weather for fruitful November work parties (Sunday 17th November and Wednesday 27th November (the last for the year).

Several saplings that had been nurtured by individual members over the summer were planted (helped by the visiting Forest School from White Cliffs Montessori Pre-School) along with 1,000 native English Bluebells (kindly donated by Montefiore Arms earlier this year). These were planted in an area where the trees had been thinned to allow more light through the […]

October work party – chips away!

After the worst storm for many years, the Friends of Montefiore Woodland held a productive work party on Wednesday 30th October in glorious autumn sunshine. A priority of the group this autumn/winter is to thin some of the woodland thus opening up the canopy to allow more light through to the floor thus hopefully encouraging […]

Montefiore Woodland – receives Kent Wildlife Trust “Wild about Gardens” Bronze Award.

Montefiore Woodland was recently awarded the Kent Wildlife Trust (supported by TDC) “Wild about Gardens” Bronze Award. Dave Welch and Nick Rankin, volunteers from the Friends of Montefiore Woodland, were pleased to attend the presentation on Tuesday 15th October at the Trinity Resource Centre at Margate. (See attached photo Dave Welch being presented with the […]

Montefiore Woodland’s Bat Talk, Walk and Moth Evening – 10th August 8pm – 10:30pm

Sue Smith 20th August, 2013 Approximately 70 people of all ages, enjoyed this fascinating evening (which coincided with National Moth Nights 2013) discovering more about these mysterious, nocturnal visitors to our local area, thanks to the knowledge shared by the two visiting specialists Shirley Thompson from Kent Bat Group www.kentbatgroup.org.uk and David Gardner – Butterfly […]

big butterfly count 2013

Last Sunday 21st July, the Friends of Montefiore Woodland supported the big butterfly count by holding a butterfly count within the woodland. This is a nationwide survey aimed at helping to assess the health of our environment. It was launched in 2010 and has become the world’s biggest survey of butterflies! “Butterflies react very quickly to change […]