Spooky snakes have slithered into a Prestatyn nature spot thanks to a traditional crafting technique.
Denbighshire County Council’s Countryside Service led a Halloween themed wood craft session for Nature for Health volunteers at Coed Y Morfa.
To create the creatures to honour All Hallows’ Eve, reused wood from coppicing carried out locally by countryside rangers was used to fashion a selection of snakes.
Coppicing is a traditional technique for managing woodland, involving trees or shrubs repeatedly cut at the base to create a coppice stool, leaving enough for regrowth and a sustainable supply of wood.
The offcuts can be used for crafting purposes or for the creation of new habitat piles to support local wildlife by providing nesting material for birds and habitats for reptiles.
Coppicing also mimics a process where large mature trees fall due to old age or strong winds, allowing light to hit the floor of the woodland giving other plant species the opportunity to thrive. This also can start a chain reaction that increases the range of plants and wildlife in a woodland area.
Sasha Taylor, Countryside Ranger, said: “Coppicing is a great traditional method in maintaining woodlands and also creating a sustainable supply of wood for other means. It’s been fantastic to combine this with wood crafting with the volunteers to create a slithering scary celebration to welcome in Halloween!”
Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “Our Countryside rangers really value the support of the volunteers who help them through Nature for Health to look after our local nature areas. It’s great to see them combine woodland management skills for a celebration of All Hallows’ Eve.”
