Small-leaved Lime Conservation at Spring Park – Year 2

The Project conserves an area of Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland at Spring Park which contains a regionally important and distinctive population of rare Small-leaved Lime trees. This species is vulnerable due to poor reproduction. The Project promotes its regeneration by applying learning from research by a local Working Group and a Species Management Plan drawn up with the Limewood Working Group, which is part of the Tree Council. This plan guides the Project and ensures that specific, tailored management is used. Management techniques include re-coppicing lapsed Small-leaved Lime stools, layering stems to encourage regeneration, and timber extraction using heavy horses. Year 1 was successfully delivered in autumn 2013 thanks to a SITA Enriching Nature grant.