Frochas Wood, on the Lleyn Peninsula in North Wales,was a recently planted Sitka Spruce plantation when purchased by Wildlife Woodlands.  We were attracted to it by good roadside access, a small pond and quite a bit of natural regeneration of broadleaves.  Early work involved some selective thinning, to help promote a more diverse woodland, with a higher proportion of broadleaves.  Birch was the most common species seeding in, but there were also elements of other trees, including oak.

We also reviewed the pond and water supply, and decided to both enlarge the existing pond and construct a new one, utilising water from a small spring in another section of the wood.   Enter Keith with his 13 tonne tracked excavator!  The existing pond was trebled in size, keeping as much marginal vegetation as possible to help colonise the new areas.  On the other side of the wood we were able to undertake a significant amount of soil shifting, to create a new pond, mainly deepening the course of the drain, but also providing a wide earth bund to raise the water level, with a soft engineered outfall.

The end result is a more diverse woodland with two large ponds adding conservation interest and a great place to visit with the dogs, or for a family picnic.