We have been stuck with it in trying to weed the heather on the reserve. "Weed heather", you may say incredulously. Not quite like that, but pulling or cutting bracken, small birches and brambles - my infamous three Bs which I have droned on about in the past. It's a boring job anyway, but when it's wet up to one's armpits stumbling through the high heather after rain, its a sight worse!

The alternative is to do nothing - so we cop out! And, at the risk of boring you yet again, we have to be rid of the three Bs, because if left to take their course they will make life worse in the ensuing years, leading in the end to the breakdown of the heather. Then no-one will want to come and see a couple of acres of scrub - least of all the lizards and slow-worms.

But the trouble is that we have a deadline to meet. In August the bracken spores ripen and, because they are carcinogenic, we must not work in the heather. After that, the heather is in bloom, and should be a vista of purple, hopefully unbroken by the three Bs. At the time of writing anything might happen!

I'm sorry, I wrote something of this sort at this time last year, so to change the subject I must mention a new book which has been enjoying reprints in the last couple of years: "Traditional Woodland Crafts" by Raymond Tabor, a member of one of the biggest county Wildlife Trusts. My reference books have always been very academic, but this book is a really down-to-earth gem of acquired wisdom from generations of woodmen.

Our "green team" is sold on the idea of making anything from besom brooms to tent pegs or walking sticks, and what is such a delight is that the Sussex Trust has a plan to undertake such work at Selwyn's Wood one day.

You could say that it is all down to me to bring things together to make it happen. Happily, in my experience, the Trust is always ready to take advantage of its volunteers' various enthusiasms. That's why we have 700 of us hard at work across the two counties.

John Hall © 2002