Woodland Management Training: 29-05-2018

Management Training

This week saw 13 NCVs taking part in some management training. However - everyone was more than happy to do so as the focus of the day was NOT as shown below:

Instead it focused on WOODLAND management. 

Now that is something we are more used to and experienced in, although I suppose you could say that we went through the MBO cycle only last week, namely:

Step 1 - Tony and Ros planned the woodland management aims for the day

Step 2 - The Boss told everyone what to do

Step 3 - Everyone got busy whilst the Boss kept an eagle eye & took photos

Step 4 - Tony checked the completed jobs 

Step 5 - Alwin served up a tasty meal as a reward for the workers.

There you have it - The Five-Step WMBO process.

However - this week we were finding out, from trainer Phil Lythe, of the Yorkshire Farming Wildlife Partnership, all about:

• The value of woods
• Woodland planting & establishment
• New Woodland Design
• Woodland management
• Designing a woodland management plan
• Incorporating special features.
• Costs & getting the work done
• Grant aid and assistance

The day wasn't just about sitting in a classroom though. We had two site visits to see the theory in action - one at Fishpond Wood and the other at Millennium Green.

As we arrived we were given a quiz sheet to complete.

Each answer was the name of a tree.

Nick and Phil thought long and hard about the quiz questions.

At the end of the day Tony got the highest score and won the prize - 

a piece of Phil Lythe's home grown honeycomb.
Mmmmmm. Honey!!

After the first presentation it was off to Millennium Green .....

...to do some tree identification.

Phil brought his spade to show us the proper 
technique for planting a new tree.

Golden rule: ALWAYS clear the grass off the soil first.

First site visit over it was back to the council chambers 

for a bit more theory and our lunch.

We were spoilt for choice with goodies with 

Audrey's flapjack and Gwen Emsley's coffee biscuits and lemon curd cakes.
Thanks folks!!

Site visit number two required us to consider how best 

to manage a wood we know well, namely Fishpond Wood.
Lots of tree identification practice here.

Everyone gathered to look at the oaks below - 

all sessile ones (because their acorns are sessile - 
without a stalk - though their leaves are stalked).

Past the charcoal burner (just one of the many products 

that the woodland owner makes from his wood).

We weren't sure what this is going to be but it was very well made!

The beech trees shade out other species.

You may have to remove one in order to let light in for regeneration to occur.
Sounds drastic but these beauties will not last forever 
and you need to think ahead to replace them.

Management plan considered it was back to 

the council chamber to see if our ideas matched 
the actual plan for the wood.

Picture Quiz: (answers at the bottom of the page)

Question 1 - Egg from which bird?

Question 2 - What is this?

All in all it was a really interesting, informative and enjoyable day. Thanks for that Phil!!

Answers to the picture quiz:

1 - The egg is from a song thrush.

2 - Something you can wrap around the end of the top stem of a young tree, inside a tree guard, to stop deer nibbling the shoot. The long pieces of plastic stick up their noses. They don't like that!!

Mayfield Farm: 22-05-2018

This week saw a return trip to Mayfield Farm in Wilsill to complete woodland management jobs still to be done after our previous visit. There were lots of different tasks for everyone to choose from - and many did more than one, as you can see below......

Luckily Tony was able to transport all the tools down 
to the wood in his whizzy new garden tractor and trailer.

The wet areas of path that still needed attention 

were the focus of one team.

The channels needed lining with timber once more.

And filling with stones.

Tony, Andy and Ruth drew the short straw and had to deal with 

"The Slough of Despond".

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the stream, a team of three 

were busy clearing the debris off an old fence which was impeding water flow.

They spent a happy morning paddling around in the water

.retrieving all kinds of rubbish....

...and brash piling debris.

 

Once that was done they moved on to tidying the path higher up.

Over in the lower field two more were on a mission 

to collect all the fallen timber along the fence line and....

...yes - you guessed it - build a number of brash piles. 

Up in the top field the stream bed needed clearing of fallen timber and 

overhanging branches. Will and Alistair did an excellent job here.

 

The encroaching brambles were cut back and piled up.

(The local invertebrate population are going 
to be very happy with all these new builds!)

Jobs were being completed thick and fast.
Andy sorted out the unusable lock on the bottom gate.

Anita tested it out. She was more than satisfied 
with the quality of his work.

A team of two went to complete the covering 
of the bridge in chicken wire. 
Looking good Ruth!

All the rubbish discovered in the stream had to be brought out of the wood.
So three would be page boys practised for the next Royal wedding.

Anita wondered if she should take this 
pair of classy trousers home.

As it was last time - the highlight of the day was the lunch.

Thanks again Alwin - you lay on a wonderful spread.

After lunch under the glorious wisteria....

...two final jobs were done.
First up - removing five lumps of stone from the pond.
Ladders in place...

...the three most able NCVs (still able to bend after all the eating!) got busy.

Then it was off back down the hill to finish the day off ....

....with a little bit of balsam pulling.
Just the thing after eating too much chocolate roulade!

Anita couldn't resist a little swing on the way back up.
She was hoping that the branch would take
 the weight of her and her large lunch.

Not everyone was down at Mayfield Farm. An elite group of five spent their morning laying the remaining gravel on the footpath up at Toftgate Lime Kiln. 

The first three barrows return for a fill up.

The end is nigh!

Yes - it certainly is. 
The gravel pile is no more.

They did a good job and finished laying barrow load number 35 by lunchtime - just in time to high tail it down to Mayfield farm for the feast!