Most people would prefer to take their walk through Whitcliffe Woods without a hard hat on their heads. That’s why every year the volunteers who look after the common, together with Shropshire Wildlife Trust experts, inspect every footpath across the common and the roads round it checking the trees over those routes.

Any trees which show significant rot or which are deemed dangerous in any way are marked on a plan and the work is carried out by professional tree surgeon Alan Jones with the help of the volunteer team. In some cases the entire tree must be felled, but usually it means a rotten limb or branch removed.

The tree surgery is carried out during the winter period when there is less chance of disturbing wildlife. The volunteers also take the opportunity to do routine maintenance work to paths, keeping them clear, inserting drainage channels and generally keeping the paths open for people to enjoy.

The team above, last week completed the maintenance programme for this winter as scheduled by Shropshire Wildlife Trust.