Hayley Wood, an ancient woodland in Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire, has been closed for approximately a month due to ongoing issues involving dogs and their owners. The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire cited incidents of dogs being off leads and instances where staff and volunteers faced abuse from dog owners.
Read More
The trust stated that when the site reopens, dogs will be prohibited from entering a designated fenced area and must remain on leads in other parts of the woodland, except in select clearly marked locations. Matt Hamilton, the trust's Cambridgeshire senior reserves manager, emphasized that the site is "not a dog exercise yard" and called it "a jewel in Cambridgeshire's nature crown."
The closure follows several reports of disturbance to wildlife, including rare wildflowers and bird species, due to dogs off leads. Despite clear signage indicating areas where dogs should be leashed, such occurrences have continued. Hamilton expressed the trust's commitment to protecting wildlife and stated that any abusive behavior directed at staff is unacceptable.
Additionally, the trust highlighted previous incidents, such as a visitor at Gamlingay Wood being bitten by a dog in February and a sheep being killed by an uncontrolled dog at Pegsdon Hills reserve last year. Other alarming instances included staff being nipped by dogs, a jogger being bitten at the Nene Wetlands, and a loose dog attacking a woodcock at Old Sulehay in Northamptonshire. The trust reiterated its right to ban dogs entirely in areas with sensitive wildlife, including nesting birds and livestock.