Two teams from Lovell Partnerships, one from their central office, one from their local construction site, joined together on a Friday morning to help create new habitat at Sydenham Hill Woods in South London with the London Wildlife Trust, which manages the woodland.

After a joint introduction, the terms were split up once again to tackle different tasks. The construction site team got to work digging a large metre-by-metre hole in the ground to create a prime habitat for stag beetles. Logs were placed upright in the hole in a circule formation, which the stag beetles larvae will grow in the underground section.

The office team was busy carving stakes on the other side of the woodland, cutting branches to the right length and sharpening them to be used as part of a fence in the afternoon.

After lunch, the stakes were hammered into the ground along the edges of pathways and organic material was woven between them, creating a dual purpose dead-hedge. Dead-hedges are an incredible habitat for lots of insects and other small creations, while also serving as a barrier to protect neighbouring habitat from being trampled by walkers and dogs.

Thank you to Lovell Partnerships for taking the time to improve a community green space around the corner from the new homes they are building.