Craftsmen are planning a nature trail on Chorleywood Common in consultation with Chorleywood Parish Council.
Chainsaw carver Will Lee is in charge of wood sculptures. The European champion carver, together with colleague Dave Flemons, was responsible for the magical sculptures in The Dell over at Chorleywood House grounds commissioned by local Ben Eking.
Will is thrilled to be returning to Chorleywood. He typically starts with an idea in mind then creates on the spot.
“When we were working in the Dell we would decide in the morning what to do – one day a flock of butterflies appeared and I started on the shape of the wings!”
There are some guidelines for specific carvings although a few surprises are likely to crop up.
“ We have asked for owls, gnome homes and animal sculptures but are expecting things to evolve!” says Jane White, Chorleywood PC Chair, “Kids can’t resist the fallen oak tree near Shepherds Bridge and we hope to have a sculpture worked into that too.”
The trail should be a total outdoor learning experience.
“Families and groups like schools, Beavers and Brownies can explore independently and we will be running seasonal events, some with our Parish Rangers – the den building is bound to be popular. We are upgrading the Common information boards to lectern style and adding QR codes so people can scan them with their phones and we can update quickly with upcoming events such as Treasure hunts, There will also be facts on the Common nature, heritage and history like the air raid shelters, WWI artillery in the Gun Dell and tank storage in the May Bushes.”
No plastic, no metal, just Wild Wood.
There are also two Wildwood Dens planned. These are play areas, but also wildlife habitats because all sorts of amazing tiny creatures can live in the untreated tree trunks.
The Wildwood Dens will be along the lines of those at National Trust properties. Lawrence Trowbridge, Director of Wildwood UK built the Wildwood Den on the Ashridge Estate near Berkhamsted, and is designing and building these. Having worked as a ranger with the National Trust for twenty seven years and running his nature play business, there isn’t much Lawrence doesn’t know about trees and the creatures that live in and around them.
“As a living habitat for wildlife, our installations engage children more closely with nature and help them learn about the landscape, the environment we live in and themselves.”
Lawrence specialises in building natural play areas created from native English oak and where possible will be using trees from Chorleywood Common that have fallen or have been cut down.
“ These precious pieces of wood last 40 years or more without any timber treatment. Every Wildwood Den is unique and is designed to simulate a giant hollow oak tree. Trunks are arranged to form natural tunnels for children to hide, branches to clamber over and jump from.”
Climbing at a young age helps children assess risk and explore their own abilities. There are no instruction manuals on how to climb, jump, crawl or shimmy.
Wildwood Dens blend seamlessly with their surroundings, featuring beautiful, distinct carvings that will be linked to local features or history.
“ I might include a badger, a frog or an insect but always somewhere unexpected to provoke thought. I sometimes cut out a hint of a face and leave the rest to the imagination. I am looking forward to building a Den on the Common and am intending to draw on local history and customs as inspiration.”
So expect subtle references of local relevance like Commoners’ rights and grazing!
The beauty of the natural play structures, stresses Lawrence, is that they are irregular and unpredictable and give a reason to appreciate nature.
“People can experience the changing seasons – fungi and lichens in autumn, birds in spring, insects in summer. Dead and decaying trees are super-rare habitats. It’s a privilege for young people to interact with these creatures and with a tree that could be 400 years old, a tree that would have just started to grow from an acorn in the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1!”
“The trail project is exciting and so satisfying in that not a penny comes from tax payers” adds Jane White, “it is being funded completely by Community Infrastructure Levy – a planning charge paid by developers of new builds. ”