Summerbridge Nature Reserve: 02-04-2019

Ready, steady, go!!!!

Actually there was no need for starter's orders this week - the hurdling that the NCVs were doing did not involve a pair of running shoes and an ability to leap over high barriers. No - thank goodness! 

The hurdling that WAS included in the day's offering was the making of small path edging hurdles from split hazel poles. Geoff Norton, of Yorkshire Hurdles, was making a second visit to Summerbridge Nature Reserve to show us what to do. The group split into two and took it in turns to learn the skills. Those not hurdling were continuing to coppice, in the morning, or to brash pile all the resulting debris in the afternoon. 

There was plenty of material to work with - gathered from the woodland 
over the wall and from our recent visit to Ellington Banks.

Some of it Geoff had already been sorted into widths 
but a lot more required sorting, so that was the first job..

Geoff then showed us how to split the medium sized poles down the middle.

This was achieved with variable amounts of success.
Just watch your leg Alistair.

 There was a certain amount of moaning as the split lines
 suddenly zoomed off to the right or left.

Now that's a very good looking split Anita.
Well done!

Geoff reminded us how to sharpen the end of a pole.

 Yep - that's nice and pointy.
Although you don't want it completely pointed 
otherwise it will curl up on entering the ground.

Once sharpened the xailes (round end posts) could 

be hammered into the hurdle making board.

...like so.

 Between the end posts were inserted 
others that had been split.

Then it was time to get weaving!

Higher and higher the hurdle became...

... until it was finished off at the top with a special 'over and under' weave.

Then it was removed from the hurdle board....

...and stuck straight into the ground.

 During the afternoon session the brash on the woodland floor... 

....was tidied up.

Some of the resulting habitat piles contained evidence 
that the hurdling skills had been put to good use.

Liz also spent some time fashioning a tool out of a piece of log.

There you go - a hand made mallet!

One final job remained at the end of the day - that of bundling up all the remaining poles....

...and loading them onto the back of Geoff's jeep, to be transported up the hill to Banks Wood for use as path edging.

So far, so good. But as he reached the steepest 
bit some of the bundles slid off.

POST SCRIPT

Apologies for the lack of a blog entry last week - the editor was without wi-fi. Just to update you on what went on....

Due to excellent progress with the tree planting task at Springfield Farm, Thornthwaite on an additional Saturday event, the NCVs didn't need to return for a second visit. Instead they worked on the Upper Nidderdale Landscape Partnership Legacy Plan – doing an annual check of the walking routes, created by footpath officer Peter Lambert, and carrying out any necessary jobs that could be done easily.  

Early arrivers got to partake in the delights of unpacking the new biosecurity kit.

You can't take the child out of some people.

Sticky labels removed from the trugs were stuck to pin up girl Anita.

The NCVs pored over maps, route lists and job lists before 

setting off in teams of 2 and 3.

It was a  perfect day for walking!!

A less than perfect view of this broken glass was spotted by one team.


This post is going to need replacing.

Folly Hall, Thornthwaite: 19-03-2019

Taking out or putting in??

After a few weeks of scrub and hedge removal it made a change, this week, to get back to the task of inserting trees rather than cutting them down. The NCVs, alongside an 'Open Country' group, were attending the first of three tree planting days at Folly Hall, Thornthwaite. Here no fewer than 1000 trees are to be planted during March.

So - how did everyone get on? Well - let's have a look shall we?

There was no problem finding the venue - 
sign posts led us all the way from the main road.

Here's the top part of the field to be planted up - the so called 'drier area'.
Well - you only have to look at the rush cover to know that 'drier' is being optimistic.

Yes - thought so. Far from dry.

Another challenge was the underlying bedrock. 
No chance of planting a tree here!

The workers soon began to arrive....

...and so did the necessary kit.

Pretty soon there were bags of tubes, bundles of tree stakes 
and bags of trees all over the place.

 Shortly after the air rang with the sound of lump hammers hitting stakes, hitting rock.

Occasionally you would hit a damp patch 
with a good layer of wet mud overlying the rock.

The breaktime picnic place resembled a mini Brimham Rocks
 and will forever remain an open glade within the surrounding forest.

After coffee time the group moved down the site to continue inserting stakes.
More rocky areas awaited them.

Now that area to left of the stream looks promising.

Yes - thought so. Lots of posts could be hammered in here.

Bonus point for Phil for collecting up the stake bundle ties. 
We don't want to leave them lying around do we?

This chap from the Open Country group was the first to plant a tree. 
You can just see it in front of the post.

By lunchtime all the stakes were knocked in and it was time to start some serious tree planting. The NCVs worked at the bottom of the site and Open Country at the top.

"Yankee Doodle went to town riding on a tree tube".
Come on Alistair - keep that bucking bronco under control.

Towards the end of the afternoon spirits were lifted by
the arrival of some delicious cake made by Alison. Thanks for that!

In no time flat the NCVs were swarming around like wasps around a honey pot.

Then all that remained was the long walk back up hill and down to the hall.
Lots of trees planted but lots more still to do on Saturday (and possibly next Tuesday too).

Other news:

An elite group of just 2 volunteers passed up the pleasure of planting trees and, instead, worked up at Gouthwaite Reservoir removing the alders along the water's edge that were threatening to block out the view from the viewing platform. Let's see how they got on shall we?

 The nature of the problem.

The answer to the problem. Beautifully coppiced with a 

chainsaw by Nidderdale  Birdwatcher chainsaw expert, Dean.

 Some of the resulting debris from the activity 

which now needs to be removed from the site.

And finally - an apology...

There will be no blog next week as the editor will be away and unable to access the internet. The NCVs may well be back planting trees at Thornthwaite so a photo of how it looked at the end of the day will be posted the following week. At least readers now know roughly what will be happening!!