Coalville Education Partnership's Holly Hayes project believes the work it is carrying out in Whitwick will stop people viewing the area as wasteland and attracting anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.

The Leicestershire Neighbourhood Watch website has outlined the good work being carried out in the area, despite incidents ranging from theft and damage, including arson, to more recent reports of off road bikes and public order.

The project was hit by a suspected arson attack last March Fire destroys community project in Whitwick.

North West Leicestershire Police say they have been been engaging with Coalville Education Partnership who have tenancy at the location, and wanted to share their story.

Coalville Education Partnerships is a Community Interest Company (CIC) which delivers training and qualifications across a broad range of needs and age groups.

The Outdoor Education and Land Based Studies section extended its services into Holly Hayes Wood, Whitwick when the company took on the tenancy in 2018.

Since then, CEP Holly Hayes, its students, volunteers and staff have been working hard on its commitment to restore important habitat for resident wildlife and to keep the wood open and safe for the free enjoyment of local people.

Students gain work and personal skills, experience and qualifications in Land Based Studies and construction.

The opportunities on offer at CEP Holly Hayes help individuals re-engage with life-long learning boosting employability and career prospects.

Holly Hayes is a Semi-Natural Ancient Wood and has been in existence since the end of the last glaciation. The diversity of trees and other wildlife that makes this and every other historic woodland in the UK so special is entirely due to human intervention.

The owners, Friends of Holly Hayes Wood and CEP share a passion for saving the woodland for future generations. Work done by todays youngsters will benefit their Grandchildren, installing a sense of pride in knowing they are creating a legacy to pass on.

Careful management is necessary to maintain a balance that benefits both nature and visitor.

Major commercial felling last took place in 1920, since then, the woodland has been allowed to regenerate naturally. However, wild conditions are not always conducive with the care of fragile wildlife communities which rely on certain conditions and other species put in place by previous custodians of the land.

CEP Holly Hayes is engaged in a six year process of selective felling to favour trees which are under pressure from more vigorous species such as sycamore.

Oak, for example, is favoured over sycamore as it shelters many more associated species of flora and fauna.

Holly has become an invasive bully in some compartments, blocking out light and stealing water and nutrients from the woodland floor, preventing any other species of flora, tree or herb, from establishing.

In the short time the management plan has been implemented, many improvements have been made or occurred naturally.

Where a few trees have been taken down in the paddock, grass and flowering herbs are becoming established. Further felling of dominant sycamore has allowed hundreds of seedlings trees to germinate.

Anti-social behaviour occurs in Holly Hayes just as in any other open public space within easy reach of residences.

Fly-tipping, drug taking, illegal motorbike access, arson, theft and general vandalism happen on a daily basis.

But as support builds for the work to restore and save the woodland, fewer people will view the site as wasteland and the Trust and CEP will prevail.