Friends of Big Wood Nature Reserve
Newsletter - August - 2025
Glorious Big Wood
Dates for your diary:
Friends of Big Wood Community Event:
Big Wood Open Morning & Moth Breakfast - Sunday morning 14th September - Everyone is Welcome!
Big Wood Tree Canopy Survey: Friday 22nd August
Practical Activity Sessions will restart in October:
Spending a couple of hours in the company of wonderful like-minded people makes a big difference to the health of Big Wood for the future.
If you are at all inclined to join, we really need more volunteers to help look after the wood.
Session dates will be published in the next newsletter. For more information contact friendsofbigwood1@gmail.com and/or join the FoBW Volunteers WhatsApp group
Big Wood KIDS family session for 0-6 year olds and the whole family: 'Forest Friends' in Little Wood Open Air Theatre, Sunday 28th September, 10 to 11.30am
Practical Activity Sessions: for more info please join the FoBW Volunteers WhatsApp group or contact friendsofbigwood1@gmail.com
After the worrying hot dry spell earlier this summer, we breathed a sigh of relief that much-needed rain finally soothed and nourished the flora and fauna in the wood. We wish everyone a wonderful summer with plenty of sunshine, without storms but enough rainfall to keep our green spaces thriving!
Big Wood tree Surveys
Earlier this summer, a number of Friends of Big Wood volunteers kindly helped to update the dead tree survey in Big Wood and we later joined the Barnet Council tree team for their cyclical tree inspection of the wood and remedial work planning. We have an agreement with them that any wood they need to cut will be left in situ. In this way the cuttings add to the vitally important dead wood habitats, of which there are unfortunately not quite enough in Big Wood.
Our next survey of Oak tree canopy health will take place on Friday August 22nd. If you are interested in taking part, please get in touch with Peter Falk at friendsofbigwood1@gmail.com. The task mainly consists of walking around Big Wood and looking up at the tree canopy. What's not to like?!
Don't miss our big Friends of Big Wood Community Event this autumn!
Guided Walks
Friends of Big Wood Open Morning & Moth Breakfast
He is back with his moth light trap, by popular demand! On Sunday morning, 14th September, moth and butterfly specialist Phil Sterling will give a show and tell of the amazing moth species that populate the wood in this later season of the year.
Again, no moth will be harmed or eating during the course of the Moth Breakfast! This year the event combines with the Friends of Big Wood Open Morning, a chance to meet up for tea, coffee and cake, and fun family activities. You'll also be able to find out about the work the Friends of Big Wood have been doing in conjunction with the Tree and Ecology Teams at Barnet Council, looking after this ancient woodland, our very own local nature reserve.
Big Wood KIDS Creative Workshops
After the summer break, the next Big Wood KIDS workshop, 'Forest Friends' on Sunday 28th September will be a family session for children aged 0-6 and the rest of the family. Tickets become available on Eventbrite up to three weeks prior to the event. Follow Big Wood KIDS via Friends of Big Wood on Eventbrite (or QR code on the schedule below).
See also the remaining 2025 Big Wood KIDS sessions below. Tickets will become available on Eventbrite up to three weeks prior to each event. Follow Big Wood KIDS via Friends of Big Wood on Eventbrite (QR code on schedule below).
Get Tickets
Forest Friends Creative Workshop presented by Friends of Big Wood KIDS
Date: Sun, 28th September • 10:00am - 11.30am
Location: Little Wood Open Air Theatre,
If you are interested, please follow Big Wood KIDS via Friends of Big Wood on Eventbrite, to be informed as soon as tickets for future sessions become available.
Big Wood Activity Sessions
As most of you will be aware, Practical Activity Sessions in Big Wood are normally scheduled during the period between September and March, but we may occasionally hold extraordinary sessions throughout the year if there is urgent work to be done. We are very grateful to our wonderful group of volunteers who are prepared to spend a couple of hours a session looking after Big Wood. We are always happy to welcome new volunteers. No prior experience needed, just a willingness to get involved. If you are interested in helping to keep Big Wood thriving, please use this link to join the Friends of Big Wood Volunteers WhatsApp group where more information will be posted as soon as it becomes available. Or contact 07712 704 164, friendsofbigwood1@gmail.com. Your support is very much appreciated!
Please also see the short updated Barnet Greenspaces Volunteering Handbook for straightforward practical volunteering guidance and safe tool use.
Friends of Big Wood Membership Renewals
If you haven't got round to renewing yet, please stay a Friend and renew via this link: https://membermojo.co.uk/friendsofbigwood/renew Any questions, contact friendsofbigwood1@gmail.com
Volunteer Handbook
The Barnet Greenspaces Volunteering Handbook includes straightforward health and safety guidance to ensure that all volunteers remain safe while working in the borough's green spaces. If you take part in the activity mornings, please click on this Volunteer Handbook link and take note of the guidelines. Get in touch if you have any questions.
LITTER IN THE WOOD
Litter remains a problem and some of us regularly pick up litter as we go round the wood. If any one else wants to help and would like a litter picker, please contact us. We have a number of Friends who are regularly are picking up litter but please can all the Friends help to keep the wood clear of litter.
MORE ABOUT DEAD WOOD
We reported on the importance of dead wood. The official UK standard for healthy woodland habitat requires 20m3 of deadwood per hectare and most woodlands in the UK, including Big Wood, is below this level. It is important therefore that all dead trunks and fallen branches are left where they fall or are left standing.
A reminder that ageing trees and dead wood are vital for a healthy woodland habitat. A huge swathe of the woodland ecosystem relies on tree wear and tear- hollows, dead branches and fallen trees.
TREES INFO
There is a marvellous short clip about the management of oak trees and the importance of not compacting the roots in Kew Gardens following the great storm of 1987. Anyone who is interested click on the following:-
WEB SITE
Remember that all details are here on our web site so do signpost your local friends and neighbours to visit the site and encourage them join the Association and to be Friends Of Big Wood.
DATA PROTECTION
The Friends of Big Wood Organisation is aware of the new General Data Protection Legislation. Organisations such as ours, which keep a register of names purely for recreational reasons, are exempt from the new regulations. We would advise you all that the data stored is purely to enable us to provide information about Big Wood and no information will be passed to any third party. If, nevertheless, you would like your details deleted from the list, please email us
