About

Sunday 28th June will be another Open Day of our 2026 season.

Everyone is welcome (dogs on short leads, please). Come and enjoy a summer walk-around at the Woods!

The recent wet weather has given the trees a much-needed boost as so many were really looking pretty rough a month ago. That period of rain has revived many of them and they have put out fresh growth that is great to see.

We are also delighted to see baby 'Oakers' growing in the areas where we did some thinning/felling during the winter :-) Baby oak trees, as well as already-established youngsters, are the life-blood of the Woods so brilliant to see, especially when they are growing in good positions (e.g. with clear daylight above and little competition beside). We have problems with Muntjac deer frequenting the Woods and they love to eat the new shoots on small trees, including the little Oakers! Hence, it is important that we protect those baby trees with tree guards when we can. Controlling the regrowth of the bramble around them seems a never-ending job!

Regular visitors will likely notice that we are doing more in an effort to combat the AOD (Acute Oak Decline) disease that is affecting more and more oak trees across the country. We continue to work with the government laboratory that is researching the disease and our latest effort has been to wrap one of our worst-affected trees with the same fine mesh that they use at the lab. We are hoping that will reduce the spread of the disease that is carried by small 'Agrilus biguttatus' beetles. They live inside the tree for 1-2 years, then emerge around now, fly up to the canopy to feed and mate, and then lay eggs back in the same tree and also in nearby trees. They prefer trees that are weak so Climate Change is working in their favour and against the oaks, sadly, as the trees struggle to cope with the hot summers and flooded winters. Meanwhile, we have also sent some more swab samples off to the lab for testing so we can monitor any spread of the disease amongst our trees. It's a difficult time but oak trees are especially important to the Woods and to the wider UK so we will keep doing our best!

The main arrangements apply for the Open Day: Open from 10am to *3:30pm* with *last entry at 2:30pm*.

Free entry but donations are always very welcome! Thank you!

Parking: Please note that there is limited car parking at Alvecote Wood, so if you are able to walk, cycle or share a car, we would be very grateful. There is parking for a few vehicles on hard-standing to the left of our main building, with overflow space for more cars on the grass nearby when required.

**Please minimise driving on the grass. The soil is vitally important in any Ancient Woodland and we should avoid compacting it unnecessarily.**

Dogs: We prefer to minimise presence of dogs on site because of their impact on wildlife. You MAY bring a very well-behaved dog provided it is kept on a short non-extending lead at all times, and that you remove any waste. We reserve the right to refuse admission to poorly-behaved dogs.

Children: We are really keen for children to experience the beauty of Alvecote Wood. However, we remind visitors that there are deep, un-fenced ponds on site, the location of which is not always obvious, as the banks are overgrown. Therefore we would ask that children are kept closely supervised at all times and not allowed to wander off on their own. Please do not allow children to climb on fences, log piles, trees or gates, as these may not be safe and may cause injury.

Walking: Most of the paths are rough grass and some can be muddy. They will certainly be uneven. We cannot control where rabbits make their holes, which may appear overnight. Please wear stout shoes that you don't mind getting muddy, and please always look where you are putting your feet!

Check our Facebook page for the latest updates. https://Facebook.com/AlvecoteWood

There is also more information on our web site: http://www.alvecotewood.co.uk