The Great Wood in Grittenham, near Lyneham is ready for winter and its upcoming restoration project thanks to volunteers from OCU Group and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.
Our green-fingered colleagues dedicated their day at the site, run by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, to removing invasive species and carrying out coppicing activities to pave the way for new drainage systems as part of a wider project to restore the ancient woodland’s biodiversity.
Covering 71 hectares, The Great Wood is one of the 20 largest ancient woodlands in Wiltshire and is undergoing significant restoration efforts to revive its ecological health. The restoration project aims to create more space for rare species, such as the wild service tree, and improve the habitat for a variety of birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.
Alina Mone, Environmental Advisor at OCU, who arranged the volunteering day commented, “It has been great to partner with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust by volunteering at The Great Wood. It was an incredibly rewarding experience and a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature and give back to the community where we are delivering works for our client SSEN. The team thoroughly enjoyed contributing to the restoration works which will hopefully encourage fresh growth and diverse understorey of plants. We look forward to continuing our support to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and their vital conservation efforts through future volunteering activities.”
Dave Jones, Principal Ecologist for SSEN, said, “Our team is thrilled to contribute to the restoration of The Great Wood alongside our OCU colleagues. By removing invasive species and coppicing, we are creating a healthier and more diverse woodland that will help wildlife thrive. We are grateful to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust for letting us take part and support in this important endeavour.”
Zoe Steadman-Milne, from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, added, “By participating in Wild Work Days, companies can make a tangible difference in their local community. These days provide valuable team-building experiences while directly supporting vital conservation work across Wiltshire. We are hugely grateful for the effort the OCU and SSEN team put in at Great Wood. They have helped us achieve so much in just one day.”
The improved habitat will attract a variety of bird and butterfly species and the long-term project will gradually replace large swathes of conifers with native broadleaf trees, enhancing the woodland’s biodiversity.
OCU Group provides the opportunity for our people to volunteer for causes and charities across the UK, and we are proud of our teams for supporting these activities and the communities we serve every day.
