A glade in the Chisel Shelf woodland area of Panshanger Park has been restored to create new habitat for wildlife and to open up a stunning view over the historic Repton landscape.
The culmination of several months hard work by the Tarmac park team, Panshanger Park volunteers and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, the glade aims to respect the heritage of the Grade II* registered historic park and enhance the habitats that have developed over the 200 years since Humphry Repton’s involvement.
By removing recent scrub and tree growth to create an open glade, the canopy has been opened up in what was previously a heavily shaded area. Light can now reach the woodland floor to encourage ground flora to grow. As part of the park’s woodland management this will provide a more diverse habitat with plenty of nectar sources for insects, which in turn will provide food for small mammals and woodland birds.
Jennifer Gilbert, Panshanger Park People & Wildlife Officer, who led the project said, “It has been a big yet rewarding job and one that we could not have done without the help of our very hard-working volunteers. Over the coming months we’ll be monitoring the new glade to see what woodland plants come up, but in the meantime we hope that visitors to the park enjoy the new view!”
