Corby Woodland Project celebrates Green Flag status

Staff and volunteers who enhance, conserve and protect one of Corby’s woodlands have had their efforts recognised as it retains its Green Flag status.

An event was held at Corby Cube yesterday (September 7) to highlight Hazel and Thoroughsale Woods receiving Green Flag status for the eighth consecutive year.

The event was also to celebrate the woods being chosen as part of a nationwide network of 70 Ancient Woodlands to be dedicated to The Queen in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee.

This recognition rewards the efforts of the staff and volunteers at Corby Woodland Project over the past 12 years to enhance, conserve and protect the woodland.

Woodlands manager, Rebecca Jenkins, started the presentation and then handed over to Cllr Graham Lawman for opening remarks.

Following this, Phil Bromhall, partially standing in for Cllr Peter McEwan, gave a brief history of the Woodland Project.

He said that prior to the Woodland Project you had to be ‘somewhat courageous’ to walk through Hazel and Thoroughsale Woods and that he was ‘proud to be involved’ in the project.

Rebecca then spoke on the same subject, going into more detail about what the Woodland Project has achieved in recent years.

Some of the outcomes included were six miles of inclusive pathways and lighting, installation of three walking trails, local schools regularly engaged through outdoor learning sessions, 27.5 tonnes of litter removed through a deep clean operation.

Following this, Rick Allanson, chairman of the group Friends of Hazel and Thoroughsale Woods and also head bailiff at Corby Boating Lake, spoke about the project from a volunteer perspective.

Rick also spoke about what the woods were like in 2007, and how they have improved since. He said: “Two years later [2009] I went in [to the woods] to do a survey and filled in four forms in about six hours, that’s how few people were using it, now you’d see about 300.

“It has become a place to be.”

Cllr Lawman then ended the presentation with his closing remarks in which he thanked all the volunteers.

He said: “The parks and woodlands are our green lungs and North Northamptonshire Council is committed to tree cover locally.”