A SPECIAL open day is being organised to celebrate a number of exciting improvements at a Portishead nature reserve

A SPECIAL open day is being organised to celebrate a number of exciting improvements at a Portishead nature reserve.Signs of Wildlife is a special event being held by Avon Wildlife Trust on Sunday to mark the work carried out at Weston Big Wood.To encourage local people to enjoy the woods and access it more easily a sculptural waymarker trail, which has been designed in conjunction with local schools, has been developed.Paths have been improved, steps built and new entrance points created with information boards.Especially made sculptural kissing gates have also been installed and a large amount of coppicing carried out at the woods.The new facilities will be officially unveiled at the open day, with activities including bird identification walks, woodland plant walks, storytelling, woodland sculpture workshops and charcoal burning demonstrations.Avon Wildlife Trust community education officer Ruth Worsley said: "This is part of a year long project which has involved all Portishead primary schools learning more about wildlife on their doorstep at Weston Big Wood."They have all contributed to the design of a new sculptural waymarker trail, entrances and information points."The woodland is situated in the Gordano Valley and is one of the area's largest ancient woodlands dating back to the last Ice Age."It's a wonderful place to visit in all seasons, but especially Spring when the woodland is covered in carpets of bluebells, wood anemone, sweet woodruff and many other floral delights."The project has been funded with money from Natural England through DEFRA's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.Entry to the event is free and visitors are being asked to park or walk into the site via The Downs stile.