Otter holt installation An important part of our charity work is to create , restore and improve wildlife habitats . The Box Moor Trust estate is home to a wide range of different species , including some that are protected by law such as otters , barn owls and badgers .
We have recently installed an otter holt to help improve the habitat for these beautiful creatures that make the River Bulbourne their home . Thank you to Henkel , a local company who donated money to allow us to complete this project and to the Henkel staff who volunteered their time to help us install the holt .
Winter Wreaths In December , our Ranger Mike ran an enjoyable wreathmaking evening in the Old Barn at Westbrook Hay . Sustained by mince pies and mulled wine , the group learned how to bend willow withies and form them into a wreath shape , and then decorate them with a variety of natural materials supplied by the Trust , including yew , hemlock , holly , ivy , pine cones and berries . Everyone left
with a beautiful seasonal wreath to decorate their homes .
End of an Era : Retirement of Dennis Furnell , Trustee After 37 years of service as a Box Moor Trustee , Dennis Furnell has decided the time has come to gracefully retire from the Board . Elected to the Box Moor Trust Board in April 1987 as a lifetime Trustee , Dennis Furnell has lived in Hemel Hempstead for over 60 years . A past vice-chairman of the Trust and chair of various committees over the years , Dennis has brought all his vast experience and knowledge to bear on guiding and shaping the Trust in tandem with his fellow Trustees . He is an author , radio and TV broadcaster and programme maker , artist and photographer specialising in wildlife and the environment and also disability access .
Dennis is involved with a number of national and international conservation organisations and is joint president of the International Otter Survival Fund and patron of the Cat Survival Fund , a charity set up to protect and conserve species of wild felines and their habitats . He is secretary of Halsey Field local nature reserve in Gadebridge , past warden of Tring Reservoirs and past vice president of St . Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital . Dennis was deafened by a motoring accident some 25 years ago and is currently a Trustee of the Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service .
Although retiring , we are sure that Dennis will be a regular visitor to the Trust and will continue to share his knowledge and expertise .
10 < Boxmoor Direct < January 2025 <