Today found 11 volunteers (minus our fearless leader Paul who was on holiday) at the Top Plantation near Old Spring Wood, above Summerbridge. Rosemary Helme, who owns the plot, reported that some work was needed after the winter. The site had been checked earlier by the Boss and Terry and they reported that the trees had fared badly from high winds and heavy snow and were in need of fettling. When we arrived we were greeted by a rather sad sight of wind ravaged young trees with loosened or rotted stakes- so there was plenty to do this week.
 |
| Dear, oh dear - what a mess. |
 |
| Trees keeling over every which way. |
As this was the sunniest day of the year we divested ourselves of various layers of our posh new outfits - exposing our logos! And, in Will’s case, a lot more!
 |
| Ros K. sports the new ANOB motif on her trouser pocket. |
 |
| Will shows off his biceps. |
Walking carefully so as not to trample on the emerging bluebells, we spread out across the site on the hillside, straightening, re-staking and re-tying the trees. Some were a little beyond help and remained at a 45 degree angle but generally most were rehabilitated.
 |
| Jan tries to tempt a tree into a more upright position by giving it a hug. |
 |
| Dave takes a more threatening approach - "Stand up straight you weedy sapling or I shall hit you soundly with this stout pole!" Meanwhile Hannah tries to protect the young tree from the oncoming blow. |
We were joined by a group of 10 volunteers from Open Countryside who did invaluable work collecting and stacking old tubes and stakes, and clearing the wood of brambles with the loppers.By lunchtime we had made good progress and already the trees were looking more perpendicular!
 |
| The Open Country volunteers take a well earned rest. |
Lunch, looking from the top of the hill, down the valley in brilliant sunshine with bright blue sky, was a treat. We could see for miles! The birdsong was in full flood and Tony’s head would turn every time something of interest was heard!
 |
| The beautiful lunchtime view on one side of the wall........ |
.... and the less than beautiful view on the other side!
Note that sun hats were required this week.
Conversation was a little less high brow – discussions comparing levels of deafness, blindness, gastric problems (sanity?) and the tests to check for such inflictions was enough to put everyone off their lunch!
Then it was back to work on the hillside. In another couple of hours we had exhausted our supply of stakes with points and the wood was looking much more well cared for.
 |
| An 'after' shot: the trees are now reasonably upright - or at least until the next gale comes along! |
Tools were collected, counted and returned to Tony’s car to be transported back to the barn. Looking back up the hill the wood had definitely benefited from our attentions. What better way to spend a beautiful spring day!
 |
| End of day shot - John and Tony decide that they have had enough. They sit and put the world to rights (probably discussing the merits of apple juice over coffee on a hot day and large sun hat vents over small ones). They were also heard debating how a particular poem ends ("The warrior came down from the hill"? "The hunter came out through the trees"? Well - someone came home from somewhere.) How very cultured. |
Gill
No comments:
Post a Comment