The wind

Tanya's splendidly kinetic picture of grass and heather blowing

 Storm Malik made this morning very invigorating. Up on Wholestone moor was just the place to appreciate it. We were; Geoff, myself, Kai, Jess, Lee, Dave, Tanya, Richard, Peter, Cath and Julia. Cake was peanut butter vegan cookies. Half a dozen bags of old tree guards were removed, and then the fun bit was carrying them down the hill in the literally howling gale.

Link below is not a music vid, but a clip from the 1928 silent film, the wind, starring Lillian Gish. About a woman driven mad by... the wind. Did I mention the wind?

https://youtu.be/dmjJ9uSchcM

All revved up with no place to go

Michael and Richard. Looked kind of dark up at Wholestone.

This week we were back in Marsden finishing off some woodland management. Having removed some large larch shading out other smaller trees we moved on to thinning out the smaller trees behind. End result being a more natural mix of sizes and varieties of tree, and better accessibility to the woodland for locals. As per agreement with Kirklees ,broken down fencing and wire were also removed and taken off site. We  were: Matthew, Kayleigh, Dave, Paul,  myself, Kai, Jess and Lee.

Meanwhile at Wholestone Moor were Geoff, Richard, Hap, Steve, Michael and Shelley, collecting old tree guards and reusable stakes.

Of course, we'd rather be planting trees, but we are just....

https://youtu.be/eWVmRvq50kQ

Me and Kai. Looks brighter in Marsden

Tall trees

Hazard tape, hi-vis, and hard hats

In the absence of any planting work, we did some woodland management and tree guard reclamation today.

Half of us were in Marsden. Cutting down some nurse species larch to let more light get to the trees behind them. Hopefully leading to a more diverse and native bit of woodland. We were: Stephen and Philip on chainsaws, plus Dave, Kayleigh, Matthew, myself, Tanya, and Paul. Quite hard work as a couple of the very tall larch got hung up while falling. Great care was taken to signpost the work and prevent members of the public wandering along the footpath through the site. Several small brash piles created, some 2m length logs left in situ, and the footpath left entirely clear of debris.

Meanwhile at Wholestone Moor Geoff, Jess, Lee, Steve and Michael collected 3 bags of waste guards, and one bag of reclaims.

Stephen, Kayleigh and Dave

https://youtu.be/1FoPfNku9sY

This is the end

Last day of planting at Meltham (or of this Season?). 

We planted 100 Oak, 45 Hazel, 45 Downy Birch and 25 Aspen.

We were: Cath, Geoff, Dave, Matthew, Tanya, Hap, Peter, Jess, Ben, Philip and myself.

https://youtu.be/VScSEXRwUqQ

O sole mio

Four intrepid "soles" ventured out on New Years day to remove old tree guards at Wholestone moor. Geoff, Dave, Steve G. and Tanya. 

Not sure about Tanya's choice of song, maybe they stopped for ice cream on the way home? Or is it a reference to the bottoms of Geoff's boots?

   

https://youtu.be/1X27O50Xq4U