Roots of Judy Woods     

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Project Update

The Roots of Judy Woods CD Roms:

At long last our Roots of Judy Woods CD is ready!  As part of our funding application we said we would make copies available free of charge to all our members.  This was a rather rash promise as in the time since the bid our membership has risen fourfold.  So if you want your free copy you’d better act quickly!  Send a self addressed label and a 37p stamp to 'The Friends of Judy Woods, c/o Royds Community Association, Royds Enterprise Park, Future Fields, Bradford, BD6 3EW. When the free copies funded by the LHI grant have run out CD’s will be £5.00 per copy.

If you don’t have access to a computer don’t despair as CD’s have been sent to local libraries at Wyke, Wibsey, Bradford Central, Brighouse, Cleckheaton and Halifax Central.  These libraries also have a paper copy of the archaeological report. The CD has sections on history, covering people, places and events:  photographs and maps old and new:  things to do and make in the education section: full details of all the surveys carried out along with links to web pages and much more. We hope you will enjoy using the CD and that it will encourage you to become involved in the work of the Friends.

In the next couple of months, there will also be 'The Roots of Judy Woods Education Pack' CD rom going out to schools near the woods and a further CD rom with interviews and a video of the Woodland Celebration Day 2005 (produced by students from Calderdale College).

Access Audit:

This survey was undertaken by the group in February 2005. The results will be put into a database. Any access issues will be passed on to the appropriate people.

Archaeological Surveys:

The Judy Woods History Workshop

The Friends of Judy Woods decided on the Dept of Archaeological Sciences at Bradford University to undertake the geophysical and ground surveys in the woods. These surveys started in March. We know that the woods have been used for coal extraction (see postcard below), so hopefully we will find lots of evidence and who knows what else we will find!

The archaeologists (Diane Charlton and Alison Tigg) from Bradford University have led a walk in the woods (please refer to 'Past Events 2005' on the 'Events' page for further information. They have also been into Woodside Primary School to show year 4 pupils how to find pottery fragments in sediment (see photo below).

Sean Wrightson, Jack Appleyard, Samantha Waller and Jordan Mortimer from Woodside Primary School show off their finds! (Photo: D. Charlton, Bradford University).

Drystone Walling Training:

A group of twelve people undertook two days of training in November (see photo below). Our trainer, local drystone waller Paul Hallam, taught us the art of this traditional craft. We were able to repair two sections of drystone walling along the track leading into the woods from High Fernley Road.

Ecological Surveys:

Thanks to Joan Dobson, we have very good records for the following - ferns, grasses, rushes, sedges, wildflowers and fungi. Mark Dovestone from Bradford Ornithology Group (BOG) has also undertaken Common Bird survey for the group. Ian Butterfield from the Forest of Bradford (FoB) has undertaken a butterfly survey. 

To help us with the NVC (National Vegetation Classification) survey, a few members of the group attended a training course led by Geoffery Wilmore in Calverly Woods - please take a look at the photos below. An NVC survey assesses the structure (i.e. the trees, flowers and grasses) of the woodland and how they relate to their location.

   Mary Twentyman (FoJW) & Geoffery Wilmore     Geoff Twentyman (FoJW) studies some creeping    inspect a tree!                                                        soft grass 

On Sunday 7th August, Geoffrey Wilmore led some of the Friends of Judy Woods on an NVC survey of Judy Woods.

Geoffrey & Mary discuss an issue    The NVC surveyors!            Geoffrey points out habitat features

Invertebrate and dragonfly surveys will be undertaken in March/ April.

Geology Survey:

This will be undertaken in March/ April by the Council Geologist.

User Surveys:

These have been undertaken by the group and we are currently waiting for Bradford Council to compile them into a database.

Past Events for The Roots of Judy Woods

The Roots of Judy Woods Evening Celebration

Thursday 29th September: 7 - 9pm

This was a lovely event held at the Olde White Bear Inn in Norwood Green to celebrate the (near!) completion of the Roots of Judys project. Geoffrey Wilmore (NVC surveyor - see Roots of Judy Woods page), John McIlwaine (archaeological surveyor - see Roots of Judy Woods page), three committee members (Denis Waudby, Geoff and Mary Twentyman) and Sal Bullimore (from Royds Community Association) all contributed towards presenting information discovered during the project. Copies of reports were also available. The pub provided a fabulous buffet and entertainment was provided by the Ugly Mug Jug Band.

  Geoffrey Wilmore                 Mary Twentyman                            Denis Waudby

      John McIlwaine                      Michael Ashley & Frank Thompson enjoy the evening!

The Roots of Judy Woods Walk in the Woods

Saturday 21st May: 2 - 4pm

Alison and Diane (the archaeologists from the Dept of Archaeological Sciences, Bradford University) led about seventy people on a very interesting walk around the woods. They talked about what they have discovered in the woods through their surveys.

At the start of the walk.                               Diane pointing out the iron stone seams, which look orange.

Project Description

Judy Woods is a complex of woodlands lying on the Bradford and Calderdale district council boundary. The woods are listed in the West Yorkshire Ancient Woodland Inventory; a rare habitat and resource in the district. The very name Judy Woods has a fascinating story to tell going back to the 1700’s. Some of the local history of the woodland has been documented by local people, we wish to collate this information along with that resulting from other surveys.  

The woodland contains evidence of past industrial activity, an ancient track way and other features that we wish to learn about and safeguard. The wildlife that the woodland supports is also a part of the areas local heritage, some species such as Song Thrush and Pipistrelle bats are Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species for the district. The work we hope to carry out will be part of the larger White Rose Forest “ Woodland Ways” scheme. The White Rose Forest Project is based at Kirklees Council (Huddersfield).  The information gathered will be passed on to the wider community in a variety of ways including walks, talks, events, school projects and practical conservation opportunities. 

The project will result in the production of a management plan that will safeguard the woodland and its value as a wildlife habitat and recreational resource. There will be opportunity for people to learn new skills and to use them to continue involvement in the management of the wood. There will also be opportunity to meet new people and organisations to exchange ideas. The project will allow a much wider cross section of the local community to be aware of the woodlands and enjoy using the wood. We hope the project will bring about a greater sense of ownership for all involved, which will benefit the long term future of Judy Woods. 

Through the Roots of Judy Woods project, the group aim to safeguard the rich historical, ecological and recreational value of the woodland for future generations by: 

1)    Researching the woodlands local history and seeking professional support for an archeological survey that will involve local people and inform the future management of the woodland. Local history information relating to Judy Woods will be collated working with Low Moor and Wyke Local history groups. This information will be shared through public talks and walks events program and as part of a CD – Rom (see below).

2)    Draw on local expertise and professional support for a wide ranging ecological survey of the wood. To include local people in the following; NVC (National Vegetation Classification) survey, Common Bird Census, Bat roost survey, Butterfly and Moth survey, Small mammal survey and Dragonfly Survey.

3)  To disseminate the information learnt to the wider community through a public events programme run by local experts including themed guided walks, talks and practical events to run throughout the year. The events programme will be advertised on a leaflet available from public buildings, shops and libraries. In August 2005 we aim to run a “Judy Woods Celebration Day” organized and involving many local groups that will illustrate through displays, guided walks and talks the results of our survey work. This event will be a celebration of the heritage of Judy Woods.

4)   Carry out an access audit of the wood to include public rights of way, permissive routes, boundary walls and main access points. 

5)   Carry out a local community / user survey to identify any local issues and attitudes towards the present use and state of the wood. Local people will be interviewed using a questionnaire at main entrances to the wood to record their opinions and memories relating the woods. Local newspaper articles will also be used to call for local community input into the survey. The survey will allow people to have a say in how the future management plan is developed.

6)   Run several conservation training days for local volunteers including dry stone walling, footpath improvements, bird and bat box building, to ensure local people can have a practical input into the management of the wood.

7)   Forge links with local schools and encourage them to use the woodland as a valued educational resource. Links to schools have been made through local school governors and existing environmental project staff, i.e. Royds Environmental Project and the Forest of Bradford. The Friends of Judy Woods will develop these links to encourage wider use of the wood by schools.  

8)    Produce a CD – Rom with design input from local schools developed through an art competition. The results gathered from the survey work combined with other information, including local peoples memories, will be used on the CD – Rom to tell the story of Judy Woods. School visits made to Judy Woods will be used to survey children’s attitudes to the wood and will be used in the final CD - Rom The CD – Rom will then be distributed to local groups, schools, libraries and museums to encourage future visits to the wood.

9)    Collate all the information gathered on the Countryside Management System to aid in the long term management of Judy Woods. This will form part of the White Rose Forest “ Woodland Ways “ programme of work.

A public events program will be developed, to be run by local experts that will give local people the opportunity to attend guided walks, workshops, practical events and talks relating to the research carried out including:

1)      NVC survey technique / wildflower identification

2)    Dawn chorus / common bird census

3)    Bat walk

4)    Fungi walk

5)    Woodland management walk

6)    Archaeology walk

There will also be six practical volunteer days organised including dry stone walling, bird/ bat box construction, footpath revetment, drainage and surfacing and tree planting. These practical events will be held on week day and weekends to give maximum opportunity for local people to become involved.

Local people / groups will be contacted and involved in running a Woodland Open Day event that will include display material, craft demonstrations, music and food celebrating the heritage of Judy Woods. Local groups will involve scout groups, schools, local history groups, local wildlife experts and volunteers with the Friends of Judy Woods. We estimate that around eighty members of the local community will be involved in running the event, with a further four hundred attending as visitors.

The access audit , local user survey, and most of the ecological survey work will be carried out by and involve local people. Within the user survey we will ask people for their memories of the woods and stories they have to tell for inclusion on the CD – Rom. We will advertise through the local press for people to send in stories they have that relate to the wood including old photographs  School groups will be contacted to arrange visits to Judy Woods.

The CD – Rom will include school group input into the design of the case sleeve and their thoughts and opinions about Judy Woods.

All events will be published in a leaflet and advertised on local radio, through the local press and on notice boards in the area.

'The Roots of Judy Woods' is funded by the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI), which is a partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund, Nationwide Building Society and the Countryside Agency