Bark Cabin Wood: 03-06-2025

 

Where are we going?

What are we doing?

Liz kept the gang guessing as to their task this week, due to technical issues with her email system. Consequently we were all kept sitting on the edge of our seats until Sunday evening, wondering what lay in store. When the message finally came through we were only given part of the story. 'Meet at the barn to car share to somewhere else nearby to do some "woodland management".'

Well - that could mean anything! Tube removal? Tube weeding? Tube verticalisation? Holly removal? Brash clearance? 

When we all arrived at the barn everything became clear. We were to be working in Bark Cabin Wood, a plantation on the edge of Guisecliffe Wood, doing tree tube removal. The trees had been planted a number of years ago by the Rotary club, with the help of the community and a crew of army cadets.

Finally - we could sit back in our seats and relax. 

NO YOU CAN'T! GET UP! AND START WALKING!!

So we did. All the way from Liz's house and right up the path, almost to the mast at the top of Guisecliffe,

From here it looked as if the trees had done well.

Closer inspection did confirm this to a point.

A few trees had grown horizontally, 

or even turned right angle corners.

However, there were many, 

many tubes that were empty.

Anita tried hiding to get out of walking

 any further uphill. We spotted her though.

Friedy got stuck in and remembered

to remove the posts from the tubes.

Alistair demonstrated his incredible strength

by carrying a pile of tubes to the 'nesting' area...

...where Mick set to work on tube 'nesting'...

...and Ruth then inserted them into dumpy bags.

Everyone was glad to hear when it was coffeetime...

...although patches of clean grass were at a premium.

Everywhere seemed to be covered in sheep poo.

Back to work. On we went, detubing trees

that had burst out of their covering...

...or simply picking up empty ones that were

buried under vegetation.

What's Brenda found?

Oh dear. An old helium balloon

that wasn't kept under better control.

We worked our way back downhill to find

heaps of tubes that had been collected up

by a smaller group.

Let's tidy this lot up shall we?

That's better. Both dumpy bags were full, so 

many tube heaps had to be left 

for the landowner to collect.

One group had made sure that tubes were 

stored on tree post 'stretchers' for easy transport.

Great idea gang!

Hundreds upon hundreds of tree ties were collected

in the bucket or hung in swathes from belts. 

On and on we toiled until Liz called time.

Hurray!!

There are still a lot of tubes to be removed.

Something for next year - before the 

bracken gets going!!

Hackfall Woods: 27-05-2025

Early start to beat the bullies

You may remember, if you follow this blog regularly, that last year the NCVs' visits to the Hackfall tree cages was a washout on the first attempt and a battle against the mile high bracken and balsam on the second. The vegetation was so high that the team had difficulty even finding the 8 cages. This year the gang set their alarm clock for late May, rather than late July, in the hope that both bracken and balsam would only be at their early growth stage, the cages would be easy to see and the bullies could easily be annihilated. Of course, the weather was something that could not be controlled by the earlier start. All the team could do was hope.

Did the gamble pay off? Let's take a look shall we?

A new route to the cages was 

not without its challenges.

Especially after the recent heavy rains.

Of course if they had followed Liz's instructions

they would have gone on a much better path.

As it was they followed the advice 

of a certain person who shall remain nameless.....

On arrival the situation looked promising.

The bracken and balsam was, indeed, 

only just starting to get a move on.

Well - here's a cage - easy to spot 

and not hard to reach.

The 5 strong team (yes, that's right, 

only 5. Hmmm. I wonder why?)

split into 2 groups aiming to work on 4 cages each.

Inside the cages the trees were growing well, 

possibly even getting big enough to suppress

 the bracken and balsam underneath.

Let the battle begin.

Team downhill (2 strong) 

got off to a slow start due to the preponderance

of wild rose bushes that needed pruning down 

to allow access. Only one cage was 

completed in time for coffee.

Team uphill (3 strong) got through

 2.5 cages by coffee time.

Now - is this because they:

a) had one extra person?

b) had easier cages to clear?

c) weren't doing as thorough job?

Time for a break in proceedings.

Initially they were sitting under an elder 

in case it rained - until they realised there was 

a busy colony of bees underfoot.

Everyone swiftly moved uphill.

And here we have the lovely Osian,

 modelling this spring's latest French millinery creation -

 a must have for all outdoorsy types.

It can be pulled down over the face, 

at a moment's notice, to allow the wearer to 

maintain an air of mystery or prevent 

ingress of midges "dans leur nez".

Back to business.

The outside of this cage was swamped

 by goat willow which needed cutting back

to allow access.

The final cage was dealt with by both teams

just in time for lunch and the arrival of the rain.

Old Spring Wood: 20-05-2025

 
World Bee Day

It was particularly fitting that the NCVs spent today - World Bee Day (NOT World Bidet!) - clearing conifer brash and removing holly. The venue? Old Spring Wood, a place the NCVs have worked before to good effect. Not only would the task stop the mature deciduous trees having to compete for light and water, but the extra light reaching the woodland floor will encourage woodland flora to flourish - excellent for bees.

Let's take a look and see what was going on.....

Before the NCVs could get to work on

the holly, they first had to try and make 

some sense out of a number of brash heaps

left by some contractors who are cutting

down some non-native conifers.

The NCVs channelled the bee work 

ethic and got bizzy, buzzing about,

bringing some semblance of order 

to three of the heaps.

At least it now looks as though 

somebody cares!

This heap was dismantled...

...and added to another, thereby creating

an area of woodland floor free 

for flowers to emerge.

The heap was a source of many logs 

which were stacked neatly into a log pile.

Talking of logs, this one 

was blocking the path.

Not for long.

A small group of enthusiasts

soon got down to business...

...and managed to shift it....

...leaving the path clear...

...and plenty of seating for coffee and lunch time.

Talking of coffee - thanks for a second 

week of Dorset biscuits Helena!!

After lunch it was time to leave

the conifer brash and make 

a start on the holly.

Brash was dragged away

to the dead hedging team.

There it was added to a previous 

hedge alongside the footpath that had 

all but dwindled away to nothing

over the last couple of years.

Cutters cut...

...and hedgers hedged.

Gradually anything that had been felled 

was cleared and the old hedge restored 

to its former glory.

There was the matter of yet another 

fallen log across a path that required attention.

After a LOT of sawing and heaving,

the middle section was removed to 

allow an easier route for brash draggers

 to reach the hedge.

Well - that was a good day's work!

Time to pack up and head home!