Hackfall Woods: 30:04:2024

 

 

The Inspector Calls

Report generated 30-04-2024 by the National NCV Inspectorate OFVol.

Dear Volunteer Co-ordinator

Thank you for allowing the OFVol inspectors to accompany your group of conservation volunteers in Hackfall Woods today.  It is a number of years since standards within the group were checked and the inspectorate felt that an inspection without notice was the best way to ensure a true picture was gained of how you and your colleagues operate. Our findings, supported with photographic evidence, are set out below.

Morale within the team.

This appeared high throughout the day despite the often demanding nature of the tasks and the group being under seige from swarms of viscious, giant sized midges. These can be seen as grey flecks on many of the pictures.

The group worked well as a team and supported each other throughout. 

It was heartening to see the more experienced members of the group cascading skills to newer members - such as during the construction of a dead hedge.

GRADE: Outstanding 

Uniform.

Although the majority of the group were wearing the correctly logo'd outfits, there were some who were flouting the regulations with regard to the new 'National Landscapes' insignia. As these were, in the main, new to the group, this issue will be set as a 'target for improvement' rather than a point of failure requiring special measures.

 It was also noted that only one member of the team had access to a much needed midge head-dress. You are advised to inform your group that they would be wise to purchase one of these given climate change and the likelihood of increased numbers of insect attacks.

GRADE: Area for improvement

Skills.

 Each volunteer seemed to have a good grasp of the knowledge and skills needed to carry out their tasks.

We were particularly impressed with this NCV's abilty to create a roman mosaic like surface with what he found to hand.

Another NCV , clearly very keen to maintain high standards of workmanship, used the little known (but extremely effective) method of checking stones against the 'Wobbability Scale' - first devised in 1904.

 GRADE: Outstanding

Health and safety.

 Tools were deployed effectively and safely. 

 We were impressed by the NVC who was able to use a spade whilst, at the same time, practising yoga and doing a deep forward bend.

Everyone finished the day in one piece and no injuries were sustained. We were glad to see that you called a halt to the task when one member of the group became too exhausted to stand.

Sufficient first aid kits were available, if they had been needed, including a defibrillator.

.GRADE: Outstanding

Cake provision.

 This was sadly lacking. Luckily volunteers were able to provide their own sustenance to maintain energy levels during breaks.

GRADE: Could do better

 Planned outcomes of the day.

The target for the day was achieved - namely a set of usable steps was created to allow visitors to enter the woodland in safety. 

This was a great improvement on what had previously been a slippery soil slope when work got underway.

This couple felt the steps were of excellent quality when asked to test them out. Two other walkers declared that they would no longer have to go down sideways.

The dirction to be followed was clearly demarcated.

GRADE: Outstanding

OVERALL GRADE:  It is felt that a single word assessment in this case would be inappropriate as there were only two minor points for improvement, which would have downgraded an otherwise excellent outcome to inadequate.

Next inspection due between Jan 2026 and December 2027.

Signed: Montague Arbuthnot 

Summerstones: part 2 : 23/04/2024

 

TRUE GRIT

This week was not for the faint hearted. Having already undertaken one day of tree management in bad weather on the Summerstones estate near Scarhouse, only those NCVs who had the requisite levels of perseverance could be expected to turn out a second time.

But turn out they did - as you can see below; AND the weather was not too bad either.

 

Right - let's set up base camp

 here and get busy.

 

How many tree tubes 

can you carry this week Roy? 

 

Well - here's another one for him. 

 

 

This one can keep its tube for a bit longer.

 

 Yes - this one too. 

 

Oh dear.

Anyone got a right angled tube? 

 

Time for a bit of a lie down. 

 

New NCV Amy seemed to

 thoroughly enjoy her first task day.

 

 Tubes kept mounting up... 

 

....and getting carried away. 

 

Thank goodness for the Tubex

tree tube recycling scheme!! 

 

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb.

Anyone? 

Hedge Nook Cottage, Laverton: 16-04-2024

  

An ongoing theme.

This week trees were, once again, on the agenda. The NCVs needed to plant 400 saplings, at Hedge Nook Cottage in Laverton, before the tree planting season comes to an end.

Luckily, they were cell grown. This meant that there were no unruly bare roots to deal with.

So - did the trees get planted? Read on to find out.

 

Everyone needed to listen carefully

 to the complicated instructions. 

Hang on - what's that orange thing on

 the floor next to the yellow rucksack?

 

It's our very own, brand

 new, defribrillator!!

Let's hope we never need it!

Now - let's get these trees

 transported to the planting area.

 

Talking of which - there was a sea of

 stakes and tubes being positioned

 at the top of the field....

...as well as on the steep bank below.

However, thanks to hard

 working NCVs like Brenda...

...and Paul, what looked chaotic

gradually turned into a fully 

formed plantation.

Small leaved lime anyone?

Liz: "Now David - what species

 have we here?"

David: " I think that it may be a tree of 

some sort, but I can't be 100% sure."

 

When Dave (aka The Red Peril) attacked

 David's outstretched arm, Liz realised that 

it was clearly time for a sustenance break! 

Inside the stable a banquet 

had been laid out. Many thanks to

 landowner Richard for the goodies!!

 

Outside the gang reclined on various 

chaise longues...

 

... whilst partaking 

of their refreshments. 

 

After lunch all that remained to be 

done was to plant the remaining 80

 trees as a hedge, alongside the track. 

 

Stumpy the dog, who loved fetching sticks,

occasionally hindered proceedings 

by picking up saplings that had

been laid out ready for planting.

Summerstones: 09-04-2024

 

"Listen up you lot!"

The NCVs had a long trek up to Scarhouse reservoir this week. Tree management was required in a plantation of about 5000 trees that had been created in 2018.  

Now, management of trees does not mean standing on the sidelines, shouting out orders or otherwise incentivising them to work harder. That would be easy. No - what had to be done today was the other kind of tree management. The kind that involves removing tree tubes that are no longer required, or ensuring that tubes that have blown over throughout the winter are restored to the vertical. Not quite so easy. 

The weather didn't help either - as you can see below....

 

The wind was blowing and the temperatures 

were low (despite having left relatively

 benign conditions down in Pateley Bridge).

 Never mind - there were 17 of us to

 share the work. Let's crack on! 

 

 

Oh dear. This tree can have its tube 

removed but is too far gone to be 

restored to an upright position!!

 

 

Many of the trees were sitting in 

pits full of water.

Now Friedy - what do you reckon

 with this one?

 

Brenda was able to get this one upright 

by removing the tube - 

its trunk had snapped half 

way through inside.

 

Conditions were a bit damper 

by coffeetime. However...

 

 

...the provision of a tasty iced

sponge tray bake lifted spirits.

Thanks for that Dawn!!

 

Then it was back to the trees.

Roy and Brenda decided to 

play a game of Crackerjack.

All that was needed was a large 

cabbage and he would have won

 the prize.

 

Tubes and stakes built up into piles. 

And the piles got loaded onto the gator 

to be transported to the farm.

As the morning drew to a close

 the rain got heavier.

With 1/4 of the site sorted it was

 time to take shelter in the barn...

 

...where there was a cosy mezzanine eatery,

 just big enough for everyone to sit in.

The rain thundered down on the roof above.

 

Lunch over, it was back on with the 

waterproofs for a final hour. 

Luckily the rain eased at this pont.

Let's hope for better weather for

 our second visit in 2 weeks time.