‘Spud Wood’ in Lymm, Cheshire, is on the site of a former potato field. Today, it is a broadleaf woodland managed by local residents who are members of ‘Friends of Spud Wood’, a Community Interest Company which runs a ‘wood allotment’ scheme whereby residents extract firewood for their own use and help manage the woodland at the same time.
Spud Wood is a new woodland owned and managed by the Woodland Trust. In 1998 and 1999 it was planted with a mix of native broadleaved trees and areas of native grasses and wildflowers. The Bridgewater Canal runs along the northern boundary of Spud Wood, and there is an existing woodland, Helsdale Wood, that borders it to the south.
In 2014, the Woodland Trust gave a one year license to the Friends of Spud Wood so they could pilot a woodland allotment idea. The group were allocated an area inside Spud Wood, with the simple purpose of allowing people who became members to cut down an agreed number of trees marked by the forester and according to an overall woodland management plan. Members of the Friends of Spud Wood pay an annual fee that covers the basic costs of administration. In return, the community have a sustainable fuel source on their doorstep and are helping manage the new wood in a way which benefits wildlife.
The success of the project now means that the Friends of Spud Wood has a thriving membership. In fact, there is now a waiting list to join!
Website: Spud Wood
