A group from the Commercial and Customer Experience team at CrossCountry Trains arrived at Battram Wood, eager to learn from woodland experts at the RFS and to make a positive contribution to this much-loved local site. After a welcome with tea and coffee, the team enjoyed a guided walk through the beautiful landscape, where they learned about tree diseases and the ways climate change is shaping the future of our woodlands.

Armed with a better understanding of the importance of woodland management, the group started clearing brambles to let more light reach the woodland floor, particularly around the bases of young trees. As the trees at Battram Wood are still maturing, this work plays a vital role in helping them establish and thrive.

Following lunch, the team tested their competitive spirit with a scavenger hunt, before taking time to slow down and reset with a mindfulness session. To round off the day, they visited the two pear trees planted by CrossCountry volunteers in 2022, before planting a new pear tree on the Millennium Circle, leaving a lasting mark on the woodland for the local community.