Friends of Hagg Wood
was formed in 1996 to preserve, protect and enhance the natural plant and animal life in the wood for the community.
It holds monthly conservation working parties in the wood and other enjoyable activities, including illustrated talks, social events and visits to places of conservation interest.
Hagg Wood is a coniferous plantation on an ancient woodland site
that still has many remnants of the native woodland vegetation. The
wood is designated as a
Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS for short)
Hagg Wood is an
area of woodland of 107 acres (43Ha), to the east of Dunnington, York towards the River Derwent, at Ordnance
Survey reference SE 685 526. It is situated at around 25 metres above sea
level.
The wood was
established as a Community Woodland in 2003. The
Forestry Commission manages the wood in consultation with the Friends of Hagg Wood.
The long-term objective is to restore the wood as native
semi-natural woodland, including oak, ash and other broad-leafed trees
and native woodland shrubs, as well as maintaining some of the larger
conifers.
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Future Activities
In view of the continuing Covid-19
pandemic, and the need to still avoid unnecessary social
interactions until Government recommendations change substantially,
we have put on hold until further notice the plans for our own
events and activities in the next few months. These include our
monthly Conservation Working Parties and the many other indoor and
outdoor events we would normally have, and look forward very much to
enjoying, in the coming months.
The current pandemic clearly shows
that we ignore the forces of nature at our peril, with Covid-19
having transferred to the human population from the less than ideal
treatment of other members of the animal kingdom. In addition, its
rapid spread and difficult reversal confirm that we are ourselves
not masters of the universe, but instead are very dependent upon
natural forces, with our relative lack of preparations for the
impact of such a pandemic proving very costly. There are plenty of
signs that the growing threats of cumulative, and possibly unstable,
climate change will also result in damaging disruptions to the
natural forces that shape both our lives and those of other species
on our planet. Already, there have been major losses, and
continuing extinctions, of many other species, due largely to human
activity, including via climate change. Preparations to mitigate
the rate of climate change, such as major increases in tree
planting, become even more urgent, as does a greater appreciation of
the natural world and our own proper place within it.
Close to home we are fortunate in
having an attractive local natural environment, though with the
continuing blockage of the well-used path from Intake Lane into Hagg
Wood preventing many local residents, both young and old, from being
able to fully enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that it
can provide. When they can gain access, woodlands, such as Hagg
Wood, provide the opportunity for individuals to get much needed
exercise and spiritual refreshment, whilst still respecting social
distancing, surrounded by the rich plant and bird life that the wood
supports. We have continued to work on our campaign to secure full
access into Hagg Wood from Intake Lane, and you can find further
details of how to assist us in this campaign elsewhere on this
website. So let us hope that happier times are not too far away,
including when access to Hagg Wood is restored to what it used to
be.
With all good wishes in these
challenging times.
Hagg
Wood Path Access
Whether or not the
beauties of Hagg Wood will in the future be conveniently enjoyed by
all depends upon the outcome of the current public footpath
application process. The City of York Council have now issued the
associated Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMOs), which are now
being sent on to the Planning Inspectorate to consider. We still
have time to submit further evidence of use of the two claimed
footpaths. The first is the one which was historically well-used,
that crossed the Triangular Field on the right past Hagg Farm and to
the entrance into Hagg Wood in the corner of the field. The second
is the main Forestry Track from the end of Intake Lane to meet the
existing public footpath through the centre of the wood.
If you have used
either of these paths over any of the past years before the recent
blockage in October 2019, please do get in touch via our
Contact Us page or c/o FHW, 5 Church Lane, Dunnington, York,YO!9 5PT.
If you have already been in touch and not yet completed a User
Evidence form, please email
davidmays10@gmail.com for a copy. The more user evidence we can
get, the better the chances of a successful outcome to establish
public footpath access into Hagg Wood from the end of Intake Lane
permanently for all to enjoy.
The
relevant DMMOs and the processes being followed can be viewed
here.
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