La Hague Woodland - March 2010

La Hague Manor Woodland   

Background
The La Hague Manor woodland is a very unusual environment with a great variety of trees and shrubs planted over the past 140 years or so. It is particularly noted for its unique collection of mature deciduous, coniferous and ornamental trees and shrubs; many being of unrivalled size and quality within the Island.

Mr Tony Russell (arboricultural expert and presenter of TV’s Hidden Gardens) has described the woodland one of the most botanically important landscapes in Jersey for three reasons. Firstly, it contains a number of tree species which are relatively uncommon on the island. Secondly, there are some extremely fine specimens – amongst the largest of their kind in the Channel Islands and, finally, the collection as a whole provides a direct link to Victorian plant collectors who travelled the world in search of new species. He called it ’A living museum resource which can be used for interpretation and education purposes’ and added ’the diversity of species - particularly trees - is alone enough to place La Hague in the ’important category’, but when you add to this the fact that several specimens are both local and indeed national champions in terms of their size and then consider the historic nature of the collection, there is simply nowhere like it in Jersey.’

The woodland is also home to a wide variety of birds, red squirrels, small mammals and insects. Wildlife set-aside areas have been earmarked and a variety of habitats created for our guests!

Between 2001 and 2006 no funding was available to maintain the woodland and it became overgrown. Since then the woodland has been transformed thanks to funding from the Countryside Renewal Scheme and the Jersey Tourism Development Fund and in 2008 the School received the Countryside Renewal Scheme Certificate of Distinction for outstanding woodland management work.

The School has the benefit of the support of Nick Armstrong (the States of Jersey Arboricultural Officer) and the work has been undertaken with his expert advice.

Description of Latest Project
An extension to the existing public footpath through the North Cotil of Mont du Presbytere has been constructed which passes through a part of the woodland not previously accessible by the public, but seen from the road. This area includes a number of wonderful large pines and other outstanding trees. The new footpath will provide a natural extension to the extensive footpath network in St Peter’s Valley and would give walkers a safe alternative route up the steep and dangerous Mont du Presbytere.

The extended footpath exits about 200 metres from the top of Mont du Presbytere through an existing opening bounded by two granite pillars. Walkers can cross Mont du Presbytere and follow a further new section of footpath on land rented by Jersey Royal Limited (Fields 565 and 566) exiting at the entrance to the field at the top of Mont du Presbytere and linking to the greens lanes in the area and on to St Peter’s Village and the Airport footpath.
The project has been possible thanks to the Countryside Renewal Scheme and Jersey Tourism who have funded the creation of the footpath and the initial tree clearance felling in the area.