(cont)

healthy and active, and it’s certainly done that… and best of all, by encouraging people to visit the woods and enjoy walking around them, we’re helping others to do the same!”

Since 2005, Mary has been instrumental in transforming a tractor shed on the site into an education centre and the place is consistently packed with schoolchildren from across the county, from as far as Grimsby and Bourne, with school groups describing their field trips as ‘awesome’ and ‘the best ever’. Mary has also encouraged field trips from secondary school pupils and colleges and universities.
“The visits work well within the curriculum.” Says Mary “We conduct minibeast studies and pond dipping with the younger children, for example, but there’s more to it than that – it’s astonishing to believe but some youngsters have never set foot off concreted ground, for some, it’s literally the first time they’ve set foot into the woods.”
Despite her credentials, however, Mary considers her role to extend way beyond teaching children to appreciate and look after the woodlands – she has a regular audio diary blogspot on the BBC’s Radio Lincolnshire talking about her work both at Chambers Farm Wood and for the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust. She happily reports that listeners have tuned in, heard about the woods and subsequently discovered them for themselves despite never having previously heard of their existence.

This month, her efforts will also be redoubled with the opening of the Green Trail to supplement the two existing trails, known as the white and red trail respectively. The Green Walk will provide a longer route for ramblers to enjoy. January also represents the second anniversary of the opening of the All Ability trail at Chambers Wood which enables even those with wheelchairs and pushchairs to enjoy the area.

Also in early 2008, Chambers Farm Wood will open its new interpretation centre, a 24 hour, seven days a week building which will tell the story of the Limewoods’ past, present and future. Uniquely, the centre is being constructed by woodworker Rob Ley using sustainable building techniques from oak felled in the woods by hand. Rob is passing on the traditional techniques to tutor Steve Fox and his students at Riseholme College who have assisted with the felling and timber preparation. The building will also function as a base for the Limewoods’ various activities; Mary is also the organiser of Lincolnshire Wildlife Watch, the Wildlife Trust’s junior members, and co-ordinates educational activities for the groups, as well as organising family events such as a birdwatching event on January