Saving Moss Valley’s bluebells

Moss Valley Woodlands nature reserve (MVW) consists of several diverse ancient woodlands in a string along the river valley. One thing that all parts of Moss Valley Woodlands have in common is the thick carpet of bluebells in spring and early summer. The bluebell is an ‘Ancient Woodland Indicator Species’ and nowhere else in the world does it grow in such profusion as it does in Britain. Half the world’s bluebells are found here.
But this quintessentially British wildflower is facing two serious threats. Firstly, a series of hotter, drier springs have led to trees putting on their leaves earlier, causing bluebells to be shaded and ceasing to thrive. And secondly the flowers are under threat from the far more vigorous and scentless garden-escape, the Spanish Bluebell.
The aim of this project is to improve MVW as a habitat for woodland wildflowers, particularly bluebells, by thinning out some of the denser canopy, removing scrub and holly and preventing damage caused by inappropriate vehicle access.