Works already completed:

• 2003. Re-establishing water, sewage, electricity and telephone facilities at the old lodge.
• 2003. Fencing the areas of Sammocks Hill (to the north of the lodge) and the fields to the south of the lodge, and the installation of field and kissing gates. This will allow sheep to be used to maintain short grass areas.
• 2003. Removal of the old pheasant pen near Ring Haw lower wood.
• 2003. Removal of fencing along the line of the footpath near the dismantled railway line to the south of the site.
• 2003. Improvements to the track running along the edge of the reserve from Sulehay Road to the lodge.
• 2003. Installation of twin wire safety fencing and warning signs between the track running along the edge of the reserve from Sulehay Road to the lodge, and the gullet running alongside the track.
• 2003. Selective herbicide treatment of the Sammocks Hill fields. After consideration of many alternative ideas (and having confirmed that the proposed herbicide has no long term effects on the environment, or short term effects on birds and animals), this management method was chosen as being the most appropriate for the control of ragwort, creeping thistle, spear thistle and the various dock species that have infested the area over recent years.
• 2003. Sammocks Hill West has been re-seeded with seed harvested from other limestone grassland sites. Sammocks Hill East had been seeded from local limestone grasslands using the 'green hay' method.
• 2003. A small building to the north of the lodge (previously believed to have used as a compressor room), has been made safe. Its long-term use is still to be determined.
• 2003. Various interpretation signs have been erected at access points to the reserve showing visitors the locations of public footpaths and permissive paths.
• 2003/4. An open sided building behind the lodge haes been repaired, involving the removal of old asbestos sheeting, raising of the roof, and fitting of corrugated roofing and wooden side panels. The shed is now being used as a non-secure store for reserve materials (timber, posts, rails, netting etc.).
• 2003/4. A grassland glade in the lower wood has been openned up by removing spreading hawthorn scrub.
• 2003/4. An old map appeared to show a grassland area in upper wood. When investigated, the area was found to have been largely overgrown with birch, hawthorn, sycamore and blackthorn. The area was cleared of these invading trees and scrub. On our maps, we have identified this area as 'Paul's Glade'.
• 2004. Additional fencing has been installed on the north-eastern boundary of the reserve in preparation for the use of sheep and cattle for grazing.
• 2004/5. The lodge is to be used as Wildlife Trust Ecology Centre, and various building, electrical and plumbing repairs have been undertaken to inprove the building and its facilities.
• 2004/5. The glade in the lower wood has been further entended towards the mire by removing additional hawthorn on the south side of the glade.
• 2004/5. The 'long glade' in the upper wood has been cleared of bramble, oak and sycamore saplings. The wood edge along the south side of the glade has been cut back to ensure that the areas benefits from more sunshine throughout the year.
• 2005/6. 'Harebell Corner' has been cleared of encroaching woodland by the removal of trees (mainly ash) and scrub, primarily on the south side of the area. Some further clearance is being considered for 2006/7.
• 2005/6. Further tree clearance to the south of 'Paul's Glade' has openned up more of the area to sunlight.
• 2005/6. An area inside the pheasant pen in Upper Wood was cleared of ash, blackthorn and hawthorn to encourage grassland and wild flowers. At the same time, deer were chased out of the enclosed area, and gaps in the fencing repaired.
• 2005/6. A large range of plant species have been found on the Calcining Banks. However, coarse grasses are begining to restrict the habitat for other species. In 2005/6, an area was cut and cleared to allow other species to re-establish.

On-going works on the reserve will include:

• The fields to the south of the lodge will require significant work to eradicate ragwort and thistle. Half of the largest field ('Walden Hill') is seriously affected by ragwort, as is a second field in the south-east corner of the reserve (the 'Calcining Banks'). The medium term management plan for these grassland areas is to use sheep and/or cattle to graze the fields. However, it will first be necessary to clear the areas of ragwort. The method of control for these areas is still to be decided, but will probably include herbicide spaying or 'weed wiping'.
• The woodland to the north of the reserve (Ring Haw Wood) is heavily infested with sycamore that is probably the majority species in the northern half of the wood. Further spread will be limited by removal of sycamore saplings found outside the current sycamore area.
• It is expected that wild flowers and grasses will spread from the surrounding areas into the glade in the woodland on the south east side of the reserve (Lower Wood Glade), and that bramble, nettle, and hawthorn growth will be checked by rabbit and deer grazing. If neccessary, some further cutting back may also be required.
• The 'Long Glade' in the upper wood is expected to further develop as a grassland area, and that bramble, nettle, and hawthorn growth will be checked by rabbit and deer grazing. Some cutting back may also be necessary in the main glade area. The re-growth of ash and hawthorn on the southside of the glade will be monitored - it is expected that this will require some futher clearing in 5 to 10 years time.
• A large pheasant pen in Ring Haw Wood (covering just over 1 hectare / 2.5 acres) provides an ideal opportunity for comparing the changes that occur over the years between the wooded areas inside the pen, to that immediately outside. In 2005/6, some clearance took place inside the pheasant pen,and this is expected to continue in future years.
• The various tracks and paths through the reserve will be maintained in a condition that will ensure safe access.
• The Calcining Banks will be cut and cleared in sections to reduce the extent (or density) of coarse grasses. It is anticipated that a program of clearance will be established which results in the whole coarse grasses area being cut in stages every 3 or 4 years.