Woodland management is carried out by the Friends of Centre Vale Park, and to an agreed plan with Calderdale Council and the Forestry Commission. 

Managing for Biodiversity 

The present woodland has evolved from the original estate planting done in the early 19th century, added to in the 1930's on previously ancient meadow land, with further planting in the 1990's. Over this time there has been minimal management and much infill by self-seeded trees, resulting in very shady conditions.  This shade has removed much of the ground flora and been detrimental to the health of the overall woodland.

With permission from the Forestry Commission and with the consent of Calderdale Council, work commenced in 2011 to create a more ecologically dynamic woodland. This was begun with the generous help of a local tree surgeon, followed in subsequent years by a Co-operative working in conjunction with the Council.

The Friends Group are now continuing with this beneficial management on their task days in the woodland. This work includes coppicing of species such as Hazel, together with thinning of saplings to enable the adjacent trees and flora to grow better. Most of the work is done in Winter when trees are dormant and birds are not nesting, but some essential work is done at other times of the year to keep paths open etc.

Other woodland tasks include the planting of native wild flowers, opening vistas along stream sides and works to enable views of some of the unusual trees such as American Silver Maple. The Friends Group, over a period of a few years, has also cleared extensive areas of the alien invasive, Himalayan Balsam, which is a threat to native flora. As a Group we are pleased that Centre Vale is now one of the only woods in the Calder Valley to have eliminated this pernicious weed.

Many members of the public now remark on the pleasure of walking through the improved woodland and seeing so many flowers, butterflies and birds.

(See also our Volunteering page.)