• Midsummer Wood consists of magnificent maturing Scots and Corsican pine which cover the eastern side of the wood, whilst in contrast, on the western side are younger ash and silver birch. Along the southern boundary is a particularly fine beech tree. This well drained wood is part of a larger woodland know as Rake Firs, close to the Sussex/Hampshire border, and located near to Chapel Common greensand Site of Special Scientific Interest, which quite recently has had the rather rare "field cricket" introduced there by London Zoo.

• Over the past year we have spent time getting to know our woodland.

• Seasons have come and gone and we now have a better understanding of what we have bought!

• We hope that over the years we will be able to able play a vital part in the conservation of biodiversity of this ancient woodland by allowing the native woodland plants and animals to survive and thrive. The woodland is abundant with wildlife, including fallow deer, pheasants, birds, woodpeckers and badgers.

• We have sought advice from the local Forestry Commission on the best way to care for our wood.

• We purchased our woodland not only to preserve it as part of the countryside but also to enjoy the natural beauty of it and to learn new woodland skills.

• This year has been spent clearing away barbed wire and old wire netting fences to make it safer for the wild life and our dogs.

• In the autumn we hope to undertake some bracken control to encourage undergrowth.

• We are also planning to open up the rides, thin areas of regeneration and learn about coppicing areas of sweet chestnut hoping to restore traditional management practices.

• We have been encouraging the birds and have spotted many species over the past months, robins watch us at work and blackbirds have taken up residence in the piles of brash being cleared.

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