As we plummet into the depths of winter, the wild weather whirls around us, The days get shorter and darker and the sight of blue sky and sun are a distant memory. It is tempting to baton down the hatches and withdraw from our natural world. Yet life still goes on in this hostile environment.

In the thickets of Finemere Wood, woodland workers are still to be found wading through bogs and wrestling with brambles. Saws in hand, they coppice trees and clear back scrub. It is a time of joy for this clutch of conservationists as they tirelessly toil.

Willow, field maple, and hazel are coppiced as the volunteers clear an area 30 metres square. Coppicing, a traditional system of woodland management, involves cutting a tree down to the ground. From the stump, many new shoots will grow. This new growth provides a habitat for many creatures. 

Field maple (Acer campestre), is abundant in the area of work. The only maple native to the UK, it is most noticeable in the autumn, when its five-lobed leaves turn a striking golden yellow. It supports a wide array of wildlife, small mammals feed on its winged fruits and birds nest in its compact canopy. As the tree ages, its bark becomes craggy and full of crevices, providing a home for invertebrates and bats. Attracting aphids, and hence their predators, there is something for every living thing in this tree.

Visibility is greater now the trees are leafless and birds are easier to spot. Treecreepers spiral up trunks, snacking on insects found in bark fissures as they ascend. Wrens flit energetically amongst the undergrowth. Robins follow in our wake, snatching invertebrates as we expose them during our work.

Yes, life still goes on in this hostile environment, and rewards are reaped from braving the elements. There are sights of secretive birds and fascinating fungi and cheerful camaraderie amongst the vibrant volunteers.

More than 1,700 volunteers help us towards our vision of more nature everywhere, on our nature reserves, at our visitor and education centres, in our offices and more.

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