Ancient and veteran tree training: 12-10-2018

Another tree related week - 

but far easier on the legs!!

A day of training was the name of the game for the NCVs this week - and some unusual training too. We were being expertly versed in the art of identifying ancient and veteran trees by trainer Alan Hunton, who volunteers with the Woodland Trust.

After some time in the council chambers in Pateley Bridge everyone then moved on to the new Summerbridge nature reserve to put our new skills to the test. We were looking for appropriate trees to add to the ATI (that's the Ancient Tree Inventory if you haven't already guessed.)

Alan explained why some of the trees we pointed out as possible candidates were not worth recording. He was very picky!! This could be due to the fact that for every tree recorded in the Woodland Trust online register a handful of 'verifiers' like him need then to visit the tree to check it actually is worthy of recording.

 We did manage to find some that he felt were appropriate to be named ''veteran' or 'ancient', like this coppiced holly.

 This downy birch was also given the Alan Hunton seal of approval.
It was more of a spiral of hollowness.

This specimen was an obvious candidate as it exceeded the 3.5m limit on girth.
We're talking about the beech tree here and not the NCV behind it!!

Everyone was on the lookout armed with the tools of the trade, 
namely a tape measure, a GPS and....

.... a clipboard holding the all important recording forms.

In spite of the burr sticking out the side of this tree, apparently it was not worth recording.
Andy gave it a conciliatory pat on the nose in case its feelings were hurt.

Tree girth had to be measured at a height of 1.5m unless it was like this one with more than one stem. That's when you had to get lower down and risk spoiling your hair do.
Perhaps this is why Alan came in a hat?

Folks were inclined to respectfully bow their heads at this ancient 
remaining bit that was still in leaf.

Lunch was eaten on the site of the 
demolished pheasant pen in West Wood. 

It seemed like only yesterday we were taking it to pieces -
 the last two weeks have passed in a flash!

More goodies were provided by Helen Neaves - one of the wood's owners.
This time some yummy apple flapjack. (Thanks Helen!!)

By 2:30pm we had visited all three woodland areas and each team of NCVs had recorded 3 or 4 trees that had passed the 'Alan Hunton test'. Each of these records will now be entered into the Woodland Trust's ancient tree online inventory. Anyone can see this for themselves via the following website:

The training materials used this week can be accessed from HERE.

Thanks go to Alan for an excellent training session (and for curbing our enthusiasm which had us ready to record anything that was bigger than a sapling!!) 

Other recent NCV endeavours.....

Jan, the handyman, spent time recently making a wooden box (on the fourth shelf up in the picture below) and rack to store all the pieces of our 6 scythes.

Cutting edge design 
(Copyright joke from Tony)

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week Jan, Tony and Ian made no fewer than 40 nest boxes - 27 of which have been passed on to the Neaves at the new Summerbridge nature reserve. These are to be erected in the middle of November.

Well done chaps - the bird population will be very happy!!