Everywhere you look there are posts and comments about World Book Day. All our children were off to school today dressed up as Harry Potter, Bluey or wherever their imagination took them.
World Book Day was established by UNESCO 30 years ago in 1995 to promote reading, publishing and copyright awareness worldwide.
Today is the perfect opportunity to show you this masterpiece of printing recently commissioned by us:
'Raydon Wood 1999-2022 - A celebration of 20 years of restoration management'
Raydon Great Wood is a 200 acre ancient woodland to the south of Hadleigh, Suffolk. It has been a labour of love for all involved since it came into the Heathpatch family in 1998. It was designated as a 'County Wildlife Site' but at that time the wildlife seemed to have moved out, following the clear-felling of many parts and the restocking with conifers, hybrid poplars, red oak and sycamore by the previous owners.
James Buckle's vision was to restore the wood to as close to ancient woodland as possible, whilst creating a sustainable wood, but still with an emphasis on ecology and wildlife restoration.
The book puts on display the incredible hard work involved in the restoration and the amazing results that have been achieved. This could not have happened without the committed dedication of a small group of very talented people.
Juliet Hawkins, an ecologist with a lifetime of experience, not only put this book together but has also been involved from day one offering advice on priorities and helping to shape James's vision into action. More recently in 2019 she created a monitoring plan that gives evidence to what has been achieved. From this evidence and the successes achieved, this book was born.
Forester, Steele Haughton, drew up the initial Woodland Management Plan that enabled the project to see the light of day
Graham Sayell, the Woodland Manager since 2013, wrote the Foreword to the book. Here are just a few of his words that give away his passion for the project:
"The joy of hearing a nightingale singing its heart out in habitat you have restored for it, is hard to beat. ..... It is my hope that Raydon Wood can help serve as a model of what can be achieved when owners, foresters, contractors, wildlife experts and the Forestry Commission all come together with a common, long term goal in mind."
Graham and co-woodman, Steve Withers who joined the team in 2016, have spent years sensitively managing all aspects of the wood. They have established a sustainable firewood crop, whilst improving the biodiversity for the benefit of flora and fauna.
The accomplished and skilled photographers bring the woods to life with their stunning photos, especially Frances Browne, but also Dave Townrow, Juliet, James, Steele, Graham and Steve.
Our eternal thanks for all that contributed to the success of the woodland restoration and also to this book.
Here is a little taster of the book:
A wonderful selection of wildlife and plant life has been photographed in recent years - 100s birds, bees, butterflies, hares, stoats, deer, orchids, anemones, primrose, bugle, speedwell and much more have found their way into the book as residents of Raydon Great Wood.
The woods remain private and not open to the public due to safety issues associated with managing the wood but we do hope to hold an event later in the year. Subscribe to our news to be informed: SUBSCRIBE HERE
Sadly, the book is not available for sale as only a few copies have been printed but if you're ever visiting our office in Semer, please ask to see it. It's a real treat.