Friends of Mickleover Manor Woodland
Conservation Preservation Education
Recent News
October 2024
Plans for Winter 2024-25
We have already cleared around 2 of the 3 Sequoias, including the "small" one about halfway down close to Uttoxeter Road. They are looking great.
The ivy in the woodland is very invasive. We are planning to clear some areas and plant bluebells under the beech trees, which should flower and multiply next spring. However, it is a lot of work to do this and the ivy will almost certainly regrow if we let it.
We are hoping to plant a lot of spring bulbs and corms in various areas of the woodland. Some have been bought, some donated and some given to us by Derby South Rotary as part of their End Polio Now project.
Mickleover Manor residents have offered to pay for some tree work to clear more of the damage from Storm Pia. This is beyond what we can do ourselves as it will need chain saws and a wood chipper to reopen some of the paths that we are in danger of losing. A big thank you for this generous gesture!
It was great to meet so many interested people at the
Mickleover Summer Fete on
26th May. And a special thank you to those who made a financial donation - we don't need thousands of pounds but we do need money for things like tools, equipment, protective clothing, woodland plants and chocolate biscuits. There is a link to the donations page a bit further down if you didn't see us at the Fete.
April 2024
We are currently installing bird and bat boxes on suitable trees in the woodland. A bit later than we had planned but the experts assure us that there is still a high probability that they will be used for nesting this year.
Derby City Council have completed all the emergency tree work for 2024 following Storm Pia in December. They have done loads of work and some parts of the woodland are almost unrecogniseable - in a good way!
February 2024
Work has started on repairing paths and we have planted a few naturalised foxgloves and snowdrops which will hopefully seed and spread. If you see Trustees working in the woodland (probably wearing hi-vis waistcoats with our logo) come and talk to us.
January 2024
Due to the significant damage to the woodland during Storm Pia on 21st December, we are now evaluating how to deliver the Woodland Management Plan at the same time as ensuring that access is restored to those areas made unsafe by the storm.
Parts of the woodland are currently dangerous, for example where trees have been uprooted and are leaning against other trees. Users need to take extra care and if you have any concerns do not enter the woodland until safety issues have been addressed. Derby City Council have been onsite to start work but and there is lots more to be done and it may take some time.
We will keep you updated.
December 2023
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust have delivered the Woodland Management Plan. This is an important piece of work that will help us to improve the bio-diversity of the woodland while still allowing people to visit and enjoy it as an important public asset. We want to thank Foundation Derbyshire for awarding us a grant to pay for this really useful document.
Who we are. What we do.
Working in partnership with Derby City Council under the guidance of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust we aim to help with the conservation and preservation of the woodland. We would like to improve the accessibility. We believe that increasing the biodiversity is essential and are also seeking to promote education and understanding about the woodland.
Mickleover Manor was built in the mid 19th century circa 1855. It was lived in by the Newton Curzon family. There were 26 acres of grounds which extended to the railway line and towards Etwall. Only the immediate grounds to the front of the house remain.
William Barron was responsible for planting the grounds and the woodland that remains. This woodland is a fine example of a Victorian pinetum with many original specimens some nearly 200 years old. Barron was Head Gardener at Elvaston Castle and popularised gardening with evergreen plants as well as developing sophisticated tree moving equipment for moving mature trees, which may well have been used in Mickleover. Barron worked from Borrowash, where he had a nursery, which was operated by his descendents into the 1930's.
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Help Your Woodland!
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It's easy and secure to pay by card, but we don't see who you are so we can't thank you personally. If you want to increase the amount of your donation by 25% at no cost to you, please contact us and we can send you a Gift Aid form. Contact details are at the bottom of the page. If you do this, we will need to share your information with HMRC.
Our Trustees
James Cusick
Andrew Baker
Peter Walley
Celia Mellow
John Matthews
G A L L E R Y
