The Newlay and Whitecote Residents Association (NAWRA) have, for the past couple of years, run a series of special events in conjunction with the council’s Parks and Countryside department, writes Jo Fiddes.
These have included hedge laying, step building, balsam bashing and litter picking.
This weekend, they added a new event to their successful community engagement calendar – a guided foraging walk led by Countryside Ranger Jon Dunster. He said:
“It is really encouraging to see so many people interested in finding out more about Bramley Fall Woods and the plants it holds.”
An intrepid bunch of enthusiasts took to the woods to learn all about the edible and medicinal treasures within Bramley Fall Park.
Under Jon’s watchful eye, the group foraged for common fruits and berries such as apples, blackberries, sloes and elderberries, as well as more unusual finds including sorrel, garlic mustard and Western Hemlock tree needles.
The emphasis was on responsible foraging, with participants ensuring they didn’t take too much of one thing from a single area, and ensuring they were 100% certain plants had been identified correctly before eating or using them.
The youngest participant was Jay, aged 10. When asked for his assessment of NAWRA’s inaugural foraging walk, he said: “I would have to give it ten out of ten.”
For details of future NAWRA events, search for the NAWRA Facebook page.