When the Summer 2024 Practical Conservation Calendar arrived in my inbox, I spotted a ‘woodland conservation’ Task Day at Low Wood, near Keighley in West Yorkshire. I’d not been involved in woodland maintenance before, and was intrigued about what this would involve so I contacted the Task Day Leader John Preshaw.

John, a YWT volunteer himself, has led tasks at Low Wood for the past 12 years and said I’d be welcome to join them. He explained we would be carrying out a range of conservation tasks in the wood which situated on a Millstone Grit escarpment bordered by the Leeds to Liverpool canal. The tree covered hillside forms part of the Airedale Greenway, a combined walking and cycling route connecting Keighley, Bingley, Saltaire and Shipley.

In early August, I found myself following John’s directions through a housing estate on the edge of Keighley. It was a considerable contrast to arrive at the car park at Low Wood Scout Activity Centre. I had dressed as instructed, in old clothes, stout boots, and carrying waterproofs, gloves and a picnic I met John and six other volunteers from the Low Wood Supporters Group.

We picked up tools for the day and loaded the heaviest onto a bike. As we walked to the reserve, John explained that Low Wood is ancient woodland (that is, it has been continuously wooded since at least the year 1600), with Sessile Oak trees and an understory of Birch and Holly. He added that ancient woodlands are teeming with wildlife, with rich communities of rare species that have developed over many centuries. This makes caring for Low Wood really important, as our ancient woodlands are fragmented and disconnected from each other. At just 3.5ha it is one of YWT’s smaller reserves and is managed alongside the adjacent 4.5ha Scout Wood, both being owned by Bradford Council.

We soon reached Scout Wood where two of the volunteers stopped to pull up some Himalayan balsam explaining that it is in invasive species which shades out other vegetation, gradually impoverishing habitats by killing off other plants. They pointed out that they kept the reserve largely clear of balsam, however we could see stands of it across the other side of the canal.

Catching up with the other volunteers in Low Wood, I found they had divided into two groups who were already at work hacking back brambles from the paths and picking up litter.  As I took photos, the volunteers trimmed back swathes of another invasive species, this time rhododendron. They reported that if it is left uncontrolled, rhododendron will eventually dominate the wood to the virtual exclusion of all other plants! In addition, its extensive root system and leaf litter is toxic to many other plants. Even worse still, it harbours Phytophthora, a fungus-like pathogen that affects many other trees and plants.

It was amazing to see paths reemerge from the jungle-like vegetation. The contrast with areas which had yet to be cleared showed just how much work the volunteers had done on their monthly tasks. They explained that this was an ongoing task, as cutting the vegetation back is the price paid for not using herbicides.

After a well-deserved lunch, Steve offered to show me around the wood including a visit to the champion tree, a Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) which normally only grows as a bush but was officially measured at a staggering 18.4 metres tall in 2019. It was Steve who put the tree forward as the star of the woodland via the Monumental Trees website, where it is still listed as the highest Hawthorn in the UK. Keen to test out my tree measuring skills, I measured it (with tape and clinometer - an instrument used for measuring angles) to an impressive but unofficial 20m.

Steve also highlighted the wide range of plants – including Blackthorn, Elder, Hazel, Willow, Ivy, Rowan, 3 different types of ferns and ancient woodland indicator species like Dogs’ Mercury.

On the next leg of our exploration, Steve pointed out the numerous bird boxes the volunteers have put up around the wood. He explained that the wood is great for birds, with the volunteers taking part in breeding birds surveys each spring adding that unfortunately, as yet, the owl box had only been used by grey squirrels!

I was so impressed with the diversity at Low Wood that I visited again at dusk with my bat detector a couple of days later, and heard Common and Soprano pipistrelle, as well as Daubenton’s bats.

During my Task Day visit I heard that most of the volunteers had been coming regularly for anywhere between 18 months and 15 years. It was clear that their work of many years has been crucial in maintaining the beauty and biodiversity of Low Wood. It goes to show we can find these natural treasures like Low Wood in the most unexpected places.

Thanks to their efforts, Low Wood continues to be a sanctuary where nature thrives and visitors can experience a haven of nature in the Yorkshire countryside right next to the urban area of Keighley.

Find out more:

• YWT guide to Low Wood
• Inspired to get involved? Find a volunteering day near you in our Practical Conservation Calendar
• More about the Airedale Greenway
• You can read more about the fight against invasive species in Howard Roddie’s blog.
• See the official measurement of the champion Hawthorn tree