Old Moat Coppice Developments

The Old Moat Coppice at Hartlebury Castle is currently being developed, thanks to an exciting grant from Natural Networks! This aims to improve access for visitors and the local community, as well as aid wildlife and biodiversity.

If you have any questions, please email admin@hartleburycastle.com.

We hope you’re looking forward to seeing all the positive results – read more about the changes below.

The Works

Developments in this project include clearing and desilting the pond to restore the open water. The pond’s gently sloping sides will provide safe access to wildlife and allow plants to establish along the shallower margins. We’ll be looking out for native woodland plants like English bluebells, foxgloves and lesser celandine, alongside those adapted to thrive in wetter conditions such as meadowsweet, wild Angelica and yellow flag iris.

The alder trees at the northern end of the Coppice are even aged and lacking in structural diversity, so the coppicing regime is being reinstated. Coppicing is a woodland craft traditionally used to produce a sustainable timber crop, but it can also prolong the life of a tree or shrub and promote new growth. It is cut near ground level during winter and new growth follows in the spring – this means that more light can reach the woodland floor, allowing dormant flowers to bloom and benefitting pollinating insects such as butterflies and bees. The alder will regrow from the base, producing structural variety and shrubby growth as well as nesting and foraging habitats for birds and small mammals.

Several trees have been managed for safety reasons through pollarding. Where heavy limbs are at risk of splitting from the main trunk, the limb is cut off at head height or above. Pollarding mature trees can prolong their lifespan and promote the growth of a balanced and stable canopy.

Deadwood is a highly valuable resource for wildlife like great spotted woodpeckers, bats and stag beetles, so this is being retained wherever possible as habitat piles or standing deadwood.

Over the coming months, bat and bird boxes will also be installed, and paths will be improved to make access easier for all.