In early March, many LRG branches came together in Hockeridge and Pancake Woods, volunteering their time to make a difference in this historic woodland with the Royal Forestry Society and GreenTheUK.

With blue skies and sunshine overhead, the team began the day with a guided tour of the site. Along the way they visited medieval rabbit warrens, learned about responsible woodland management, admired giant redwoods and enjoyed the company of the many frogs that have taken up residence in the main pond.

LRG also planted a special specimen tree - a Japanese Cedar - the first of its kind in this woodland. The tree will be monitored in the years to come to see how it fares in this environment, and the findings may help inform planting decisions at other sites around the country.

After lunch, the team moved to another part of the forest to plant 90 oak trees and 25 pine trees, replacing saplings that hadn’t survived the hot summers of previous years. They removed existing tree guards, dug new holes, planted the saplings and carefully replaced the soil and guards to protect the young trees from hungry deer.

The members of LRG made a huge impact on this woodland, helping to ensure that an entire section of the forest can grow to its full potential and support more wildlife.