Mid-January 2017

A damp and dark time of year, but fortunately not as damp as winter 2016 in respect to ground conditions!

For days when being outside isn't great, a chance to catch up on some admin and activities for the year ahead.

Woodland Management has cropped up in various contexts over the last couple of weeks with various people.

Firstly, I was reminded of a half day course put on by Plumpton College at their Flimwell Woodland Centre a few times a year. Excellent value at £30.

The dark winter nights gave me a push to update some guidance notes to my own Management Plan. These form part of a rating system on the well thought out myForest web pages, hosted by The Sylva Foundation.

Having replaced the gates on the plot before Xmas, some attention to the roadside hedge and replanting gaps is the next step, particularly around the entrance with some fresh grass seed and wildflowers.

Maelor Forest Nursery is a preferred choice for the hedging plants (and any tree restocking).

Unfortunately a sizeable existing hawthorn tree appeared to have become unsound...

Various degrees of decay in the upper branches, but it will (should...) sprout again from a shorter (and safer) stump.

  Another aspect of winter is being able to look around and through the tree canopy whilst the leaves are off.

A few instances of grey squirrel damage amongst the willows.

A leading shoot ring-barked where a squirrel has perched...

2 inches diameter where the bark and growing layer has been chewed, 8 feet long that has come down overall.

For the more welcome wildlife, I've seen a couple of hares again, but they are elusive when deliberately looking with a camera to hand.