Flung far and wide

Stephen and Julia on their way up to Green Hill Clough

This Saturday there were quite a few of us, but we were flung far and wide doing diverse tasks. Myself, Dave and Ben stayed at the nursery and began work on the drying shed extension. Geoff, Stephen and Julia went back to Green Hill Clough to finish planting 35 Oaks (and reported back that there are 43 stakes and 13 guards left on site). Philip, Neil, Cath and Sarah went to High Brow Meltham and planted 60 trees. Brian, Peter, Trevor, Jess and Dianne were at Marsden Golf course pruning trees. Remy and Duncan were sent off to the Golf Course to join up with Brian and crew, but were not heard of again, so we hope they were ok. They were carrying one of the four boxes of chocolate brownies, so may have just gone home and eaten cake.

Green Hill Clough, Marsden

Cath, Andrew, and Philip hard at work.

 

Today we were up above Marsden, with almost a clear view east to Selby. We were planting more trees on a Forestry Commission Woodland grant scheme funded site, in an attempt to bring it up to the necessary standard. We were: Andrew, Philip, Geoff, Cath, Hap, Julia, me, Ben, Stephen, Dave, Duncan and Guy.Because of a mix up on my part we only had 115 trees to plant, which we did, but we were supposed to plant 150 so will have to pop back up there sometime to finish off. Philip, Geoff and I then visited a householder in West Slaithwaite, with a view to planting some hedging and trees for them later in the Season.

Finishing up at Butterley

Trevor and Dianne. You can see previous weeks new
planting in the shade on the opposite side of the clough.

Our last week (for this year) at Butterley, and we planted 136 trees exactly. 16 Oak, 30 Rowan, 15 Hazel and 75 Scots Pine. Trees and stakes guards were again provided by the Woodland Trust and Marsden Cuckoo's nest charity shop. We were: myself, Trevor, Geoff, Remy, Ben, Cath, Jess, Dianne, Dave and Hap. Cake was a very nice apple flapjack, made with the last of the apples from the nursery. Glorious sunny morning, and not too cold at all. Dave did some more pruning work on the Larch in Golf course phase one, and disturbed an owl. We ate more of the cake when we got back to the pub.

(Butterley) Reservoir dogs

Trevor, Duncan and canine friends.

Second week at Butterley Reservoir, planting Woodland Trust Trees with Cuckoo's Nest shop stakes and guards. We planted 120 Birch, Oak and Hawthorn. We were: Remy, Ben, Hap, Trevor, Peter, Stephen, Dianne, Philip, myself and Duncan. Dave was the other side of the reservoir doing formative pruning. Cake was a very nice pecan nut and fruit cake. Late on in the morning we were joined by a pack of errant hounds, we don't know where they came from or where they went, but they were friendly enough while they were with us. Memo to self: 5 trees on site still need deer guards.
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First day of planting of the season

Some of today's trees stakes and guards. Dianne digging. And in the very far top left, some other volunteers on the far side of the clough.

Today we were at Butterley Reservoir for the first day of planting of the Season. We were..myself, Philip, Dave, Duncan, Dianne, Jess, Cath, Geoff, Remy, Hap, Ben and Peter. After some organizational two-ing and fro-ing we settled down to plant on two spots facing each other across the clough. There were some attempts at shouted communication across the divide, but mobile phones worked a bit better. We planted around 150 trees total, and have a similar number left to do next week, but the heavy carrying and stressful organisation is done. Trees were provided by the Woodland Trust, and the stakes and guards used were funded by the Marsden Cuckoo's nest charity shop. Cake was provided by my mother, as usual, and was cherry sponge.

If only all training days were like this...

This morning we were joined by Ben Scotting of Yorwoods, who graciously tutored us in the art of woodland management. We met at Guy Edge, an area of woodland owned by Kirklees, but planted by the Society in the mid 1960's. The trees have been left largely to their own devices since that time, and for the sake of public access and biodiversity they need some attention. We have a management plan agreed with Kirklees, but we needed some professional input into our pruning and thinning activities. We were, myself, Philip, Ben (Godfrey), Stephen, Peter, Dave, Guy, Duncan, Neil and Dan. Ben (Scotting) was a brilliant trainer, with lots of practical advice, but also tons of entertaining tree facts and lore. Between talks we did some path clearing and formative pruning. We will return to Guy Edge several times this winter, and do more of the same. We had homemade Parkin at breaktime, and Mandy made provided us with sandwiches, crisps and biscuits at the end. And the sun shone, and we finished with beer in the Sair. Not a bad way to spend Saturday morning at all.

I just wonder where sleepy, dopey and bashful have disappeared to...

Odd jobs for odd workers.

A last day of odd jobs before the proper Winter's work begins. Remy and I counted out guards and stakes, making sure we have 4 packs of 100 hare guards, and plenty of stakes to go with them. We also checked that we have 180 deer stakes and guards in stock. Philip and Ben made further efforts to tame the brash pile, Philip with chainsaw. Cake was apple cinnamon sponge. Then we went to the Sair and finalised this year's tree order, more or less.

Co-op community fund and nursery work

Today we were visited by Mr John Drewery from the Co-op Community Fund, who presented us with a cheque for £500, to be used to purchase deer guards and stakes. Very welcome, very generous. I used our new roller banner as a photo background for the presentation. For the rest of the morning we pottered around the nursery. Myself and Ann sowed 240 Rowan seeds in root trainer trays. Dave, Ben, Guy, Mandy, Philip and Geoff worked on further reducing the brash pile using the rented wood chipper. Geoff also did some more filming. Cake was homemade "Coffee kisses" a retro 70's-ish biscuit and butter creme combination.

Pennine Prospects Annual Conference

Today I attended the 2012 Pennine Prospects annual conference, hard not to as it was being held right on my doorstep in Marsden Mechanics. Theme of the event was "Natural capital" how to increase and exploit it. I took our new CVTS roller banner, but was annoyed that the RSPB Twite banner was larger. I did manage to speak to Pam Warhurst, chair of the Forestry Commission.

Chipping Saturday

Duncan demonstrates how not to stick ones arm down inside the chipper.

We were Dave, myself, Ben, Duncan and Dan. We spent this sunny morning at the Nursery trimming hedges and trees and feeding the results in to a hired wood chipper. We did this till about 12 when Duncan and Dan went away. Myself Dave and Ben then went and had a shandy (truly, and only one) in the Sair. We went back to the Nursery to do more chipping, but found that the chipper was no longer chipper. The metal bracket holding the belt tensioner had sheared off, metal fatigue. This mean the chipper no longer had the power it had had. So we called it a day. The Nursery did look tidier for our efforts. Due to the failure of the chipper we did not get to attack the brash pile at the bottom of the Nursery.

Dave collects more scratches on his arms gathering Hawthorn.