We caught up with Ian Buck, our Grounds Services Manager, to find out how the forest comes to life as we leave the cold months of winter behind.
Ian has been Grounds Services Manager at Center Parcs Woburn Forest since 2012.
The official first day of spring is 20th March, but when do you feel like spring has arrived?
“It’s a combination of things for me – when the evenings start getting gradually lighter it definitely starts to feel like spring.
I also lookout for the first signs of buds ready to burst open on trees and spring bulbs like snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils starting to flower.”
What’s your favourite thing about spring?
“There’s a real sense of anticipation – it feels like a time to start looking forward to what this year might bring. And, of course, I look forward to the warmer and dryer weather, not least because my team mainly work outdoors!”
Our villages are hoping to reopen in a few weeks – what changes can guests expect to see in the forest as we move into the warmer months?
“The trees are starting to really come to life after being in a dormant state throughout the winter. As it starts to get warmer, the buds start to swell and, once the temperature is consistently warmer, you’ll start to see the leaves appearing, giving the forest all those beautiful green hues. This is also the time when our wildlife becomes a bit more visible – in particular, look out for nesting birds darting about and collecting nest-building materials!”
And while we wait to welcome guests back to the woodland, what signs of spring can people look out for at home?
“I’ve got snowdrops and daffodils in my garden and they’re always the first thing to flower. They’re a nice way to bring some early colour to the garden and they’re relatively low maintenance as well. I also have a blackthorn tree, which blossoms at this time of year with thousands of tiny white flowers.
If you have a pond in your garden or live near one, look out for some amphibious visitors – as spring arrives, it signals the breeding season for frogs, so keep your eyes peeled for frogspawn (but please remember to leave it alone!)”
Book your spring break in the forest here.
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