Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, near Yate and Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire.


The Nature Reserve is run by the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group, a small group of volunteers.

Monday, March 17, 2025

Good Wapley Bushes work morning on 15 March

Seven volunteers planted a total of 21 trees at Wapley Bushes on Saturday 15 March, as replacements for trees lost to Ash Dieback Disease. 

As always, our new trees are native British species - 10 English Oaks, 4 Small-leaved Limes, 4 Field Maples and 3 Whitebeams.

We concentrated on filling gaps where mature trees had been removed and on replacing some young trees that had failed since planting - that's a requirement of the Forestry Commission felling licence.

Monday, March 10, 2025

Have you seen the new Wapley Bushes notice boards?

Have you seen Wapley Bushes Conservation Group's new notice boards at the Shire Way and Besom Lane gates? They replace the old much smaller notice boards, whch have been in place for more than 30 years.




At the moment they hold our most recent award certificates and details of upcoming events. What other information would you like to see there? Your suggestions would be welcome.

 


Saturday, March 08, 2025

Wapley Bushes work morning 15 March - please come and join us!

 

For our Wapley Bushes tree planting work mornings this winter, we are planting a range of broadleaf species to replace some of the tall trees that were cut down due to ash dieback disease, As usual there will also be a variety of lighter tasks, so something for everyone.

Meet at 10 am at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US. Please wear stout footwear and bring gloves if you have them. If not, we’ll provide gloves that you can keep until the next workday – as a COVID precaution we’re not sharing gloves.

Please come and join us even if you haven’t been before. You can bring your own tools – for example a spade if you’ve got one – or if not, tools will be provided. Everyone is welcome, though children under 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.


Friday, February 28, 2025

Report from Wapley Bushes work morning 16 February

 

We planted 17 trees on our February work morning to replace trees lost due to ash dieback disease. The species were English oak, small-leaved lime, black alder, field maple and whitebeam. We also did some cutting back of the accesses to the woodland.

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Wapley Bushes work morning this Sunday - 16 February

On our Wapley Bushes tree planting work morning this Sunday we will be planting a range of broadleaf species to replace some of the tall trees that were cut down due to ash dieback disease,

Please come and join us! As usual there will also be a variety of lighter tasks, so that there's something for everyone.

Meet at 10 am at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US. Please wear stout footwear and bring gloves if you have them. If not, we’ll provide gloves that you can keep until the next workday – as a COVID precaution we don't share gloves.

Please come and join us even if you haven’t been before. You can bring your own tools - for example a spade if you've got one - or if not, tools will be provided. Everyone is welcome, though children under 16 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Monday, December 02, 2024

Successful planting morning on Saturday 30 November

 

Seven of us managed to do quite a lot of whip planting in between forecast spells of bad weather. We planted 97 small trees along the new dead hedge that the pupils of Culverhill Special School had created at the bottom of the Ancient Woodland, where it meets the end of Wapley Common.

There was a real range of species - Holly, Crab Apple, Dog Rose, Common Hawthorn, Goat Willow, Hornbeam, Hazel, Field Maple and Buckthorn.

As well as creating a living barrier, these trees and bushes will benefit birds, pollinators and potentially hedgehogs as well.

A big thank-you to everyone who turned up to help, despite the change of day at short notice!