Two Summer Wardens have joined Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) to help people enjoy their weekend and summer holiday visits to Woods Mill nature reserve near Henfield.
Woods Mill, one of SWT’s most popular nature reserves, is free to visit and during the spring and summer months visitor numbers increase dramatically.
Highlights on the reserve include nightingales, woodpeckers, warblers, turtle doves, butterflies and dragonflies with a circular all-weather path guiding visitors through woodland, meadows and alongside a large reed-fringed lake.
Working on a rota basis every weekend and throughout the school summer holidays SWT’s new Summer Wardens - Matt Freeland and Ryan Greaves – are helping visitors by providing information about the reserve, answering wildlife related questions and supervising pond dipping.
New Warden, Ryan Greaves, is one of the Trust’s volunteer Youth Rangers. For the past ten months, after graduating from Southampton University with a Zoology degree, Ryan has been learning practical conservation and wildlife gardening skills as part of the Viva Veolia Youth Ranger project at Stanmer Park, Brighton. As well as his new Summer Warden position, Ryan is continuing to volunteer with the Youth Rangers and also assist in the running of Forest School bushcraft sessions for the Trust at Stanmer Park and Hassocks Infant School.
Matt Freeland from Brighton returns as Summer Warden for his second year. He is currently studying Ecology and Biogeography at Brighton University after completing a two-year Foundation course at Plumpton College in Countryside Management.
SWT’s Summer Wardens, Ryan and Matt will be wearing Trust T-shirts when working on the reserve. Their photographs are displayed on the notice board as visitors enter Woods Mill so please feel free to ask them any questions to help you enjoy your visit to the nature reserve.
Woods Mill nature reserve is located one mile south of Henfield on the A2037 and open throughout the year (closed between Christmas and New Year). For more information ring 01273 492630 or visit www.sussexwt.org.uk/reserves/index.htm