While Holly and Ivy may be staples of the quintessential English Christmas tradition, they are not always a welcome presence in our woodlands. Holly, along with Bracken and Bramble, can dominate the forest floor, shading and crowding the spaces of grassy, open ground needed for the good of Sherwood’s ancient and veteran oak trees.
Throughout the autumn and winter months, teams of volunteers work closely with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds at Sherwood Forest and Budby South Forest to control the spread of ‘injurious’ plant species. And before anyone gets the idea that taking a bunch of holly from the forest for the festive table may be helping the work to conserve Sherwood’s remarkable trees, just remember that Robin Hood’s forest is a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest, and it is forbidden to remove any plant, fungus or other organism from the reserve without permission.
Instead, holly and other small trees that may be removed to create optimum conditions for the ecologically-rich ancient and veteran Oaks can be reused to create new habitats for wildlife. These areas of ‘brash’ attract small mammals and a host of insects and birds to nest and hunt. The vegetation adds vital nutrients to the soils as they break down over time and, strategically placed, they also provide protection to the delicate, fragile trees, deterring curious climbers from attempting to get too close.
We associate winter with vibrant red berries of the holly tree, which are a food source for some of Sherwood's resident birds and annual visitors, such as the redwing –
a member of the thrush family which, as the name suggests, has a red tinge to its underwing and flank. Winter is, of course, the time when food may be scarce for birds in our towns and cities, and when we encourage food to be provided for birds in our gardens. But in the forest, birds have always found an abundance of food at all times of year.
While many people love to feed birds here, there is no need to leave bird seed and other foods along Sherwood’s trails. It is, obviously, an act of care and kindness. But, rather than helping the birds, it can actually introduce non-native plants to the forest from seeds finding their way into the soil, and attract rodents and potential predators of the woodland bird species here. It can also create imbalance in our wildlife, with more adaptable and dominant species, like great tits, outcompeting and bullying out more vulnerable species like marsh tits.
Instead, we love to know you’re providing homes and food for wildlife in your own spaces. Feeding at home – and cleaning feeders regularly to prevent the spread of disease – is vital, and there are lots of bird feeding products which can be bought from the RSPB Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre shop in Edwinstowe.
And winter is also the time to keep an eye on how our birds are faring in the RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch, which takes place from 23-25 Jan 2026. Hundreds of thousands of people up and down the country participate each year, spending an hour to count how many of each species or bird land in their garden, recording the numbers and submitting them to the RSPB, providing essential data for one of the world’s largest citizen science events.
You can find out more about taking part in the 2026 event by going online at www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch
For more information about visiting Sherwood Forest and Budby South Forest, go to www.visitsherwood.co.uk
Get in touch.
We always like hearing from supporters or visitors to Sherwood Forest. You can email your thoughts to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
visitsherwood.co.uk www.rspb.org.uk
Imagery: Sun shining through the trees at Sherwood in November, courtesy Tammy Herd.
Redwing, courtesy Ben Andrew/RSPB images.
