Woodland project receives £30,000 funding boost

An exciting new strand of our Laudato Si’ Centre development is a step closer to fruition, thanks to a generous grant from Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund.

The fund has awarded the Laudato Si’ Centre £30,000 to transform a previously unmanaged woodland with little biodiversity value into a thriving, attractive, and welcoming space with a Forest School and bespoke areas for community activities to help people enjoy and engage with nature.

This project is funded by the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund, accessed through the Greater Manchester Environment Fund.

Work to the 3,258 metre-squared woodland will include removing selected diseased and damaged trees, retain selected “dead” trees to provide habitat for wildlife, remove invasive species, and plant new native trees and an understory of native shrubs and woodland.

The Forest School will be made up of an entrance area of log seating and canopy for health and safety briefings and session introduction, a camping circle for learning, singing, and storytelling, multi-activity areas for activities such as natural crafting, willow weaving and woodland skills, a mindfulness area in a naturally secluded and sheltered area of the wood for people to de-stress and attend small group sessions, and a shelter and den building area.

The school will deliver five sessions a week, encompassing bushcraft (shelter building, campfire cooking, woodcarving, water purification), biodiversity studies, tree and plant identification, foraging, mycology studies, micro-orienteering, mental health and  mindfulness, health and wellbeing, and make and take bird and bat box sessions.

Dr Emma Gardner from the Laudato Si’ Centre said: “We are delighted to receive this vital funding from Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund to bring our beautiful woodland area to life.

“Our vision for this project is all about celebrating the natural world and creating spaces for communities to connect with nature, finding ways to take better care of ourselves and our planet.  We hope our Forest School will help more people draw closer to God’s wonderous creation.”