The Few plant the first of many

Trevor, Geoff and Duncan, amongst the frost and fog.

Here we were back at Butterley, a little depleted in numbers due to the proximity of Christmas. We were: Trevor, Peter W., Duncan and Harvey the dog, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Geoff, Dave, Philip and myself. We planted 120 Oaks, courtesy of the Trust for Conservation Volunteers. Cake was big chunks of Bakewell tart.

As an aide memoire: we have 100 hare guards and stakes, 220 deer stakes, 100 deer guards, 40 cell grown Goat Willow, 50 bare root Goat Willow, 50 bare root Downy Birch, 50 bare root Hawthorn, and 130 bare root Oak. There are, I think 60 odd trees left at the nursery too for this site. Total still to plant 380. Two Saturday's work?

Deep Gate

Hap, Geoff, Jess and Dianne resplendent in CVTS branded casual wear.
Peter is still irked that the hats sold out before he got one.

This Saturday we were planting along a local bridleway called, Deep Gate. There is older CVTS planting at both the bottom and top ends. So we were attempting to link this woodland with a new "wildlife corridor". We planted 210 trees, in several small clumps along the edges of the bridleway, taking care not to impede the progress of folks on their giant pets (horses). We were: myself, Philip, Jess, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Cath, Jolly, Trevor, Peter W., Brian, Peter T., Hap, Geoff, Ben and Steve. Dave went off solo to Butterley. Cake was Apple and Walnut. And the sun shone for at least some of the time.

Butterley once more

Vashti and Jess, and some Birch.

This morning we were back at Butterley. Planting another 205 Woodland Trust/Co-Op/ Cuckoo's nest trees.

We were: myself, Cath, Philip, Dave, Jess, Vashti, Ben, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Geoff, Steve, Stephen, Peter W., and Hap.

Cake was monumental slabs of home made millionaires shortbread. Wow, was said a lot. Even the greedy sorts could only manage single pieces.

Left on site are 40 Willow, 100 Hare stakes and guards, and, I think, 70 deer guards and 150 deer stakes.

Stephen and Peter, and misty Marsden.

Per ardua ad Butterley

Geoff strikes a blow for treedom

This week we returned once again to the fringes of Butterley Reservoir. Trees were provided by the Woodland Trust, stakes and guards by the Cuckoo's Nest and the Co-op. There are lots of plans for Butterley this year, with Yorkshire Water themselves getting involved in some planting. Above us, higher up on the moorland we could hear the National Trust up to something, motorised, probably planting heather.

We were; myself, Geoff, Dave, Philip, Jess, Lizzie the dog, Dianne, Steve, Ben, Trevor, Peter T., and Hap. We spent the first hour lugging materials onto site. Though we did get some welcome help from the groundsman at Marsden Golf Club, who ferried the heavy stuff some of the way in his Kawasaki Mule buggy. We want one.

So far we have taken up 360 deer stakes and guards, and 100 hare stakes and guards.

In the second hour we managed to plant 85 trees. 125 trees were left on site healed in.

Cake was ginger.

Foggy, but no Compo or Clegg

This morning we were in a field at the bottom of Crimble Clough, Slaithwaite, planting 105 Hawthorn, 30 Hazel and 20 Rowan as a shelter belt. And 20 Sessile Oak and 10 Rowan in 4 small clumps at the other end of the field.

We were: Philip, Dave, Vashti, Cath, Trevor, Peter W., Peter T., Steve, Geoff, Geoff's friend (name not taken, our apologies), Dianne, Jess, and Ben. Simon was off poorly. Landowners Hannah and Alex are also in the photo.

Cake was Apple flapjack, capably distributed by Steve in Simon's absence. Geoff's friend also brought tasty biscuits.

Duncan's absence was noted again - we miss Harvey the dog! Apparently  he is injured. We wish him a speedy recovery. Harvey that is.

A damp start but a good day's work

So this morning we were in a field on the edge of Marsden, planting 300 trees and hedge plants. We were: myself, Dianne, Cath, Vashti, Philip, Geoff, Ben, Steve, Peter, and Hap. We were joined by the landowner, Jolly, and his friends, Ross, Matt and Matt. Ann brought us cake at 11am. Unfortunately that was also more or less the time that the rain really set in, and we ended the morning quite damp and muddy. This morning also saw the debut of my new super trowel - actually a cold-war era Hungarian army entrenching tool. £12.99 off Ebay, and worth every penny.

Woodland management at Guy Edge

Before.

After

Today we were at Guy Edge, Linthwaite. A very early CVTS planting site, from the 1960s. The land is owned by Kirklees and we have an official management plan drawn up in collaboration with their Forestry Officer. Today we were mainly clearing brambles and low hanging branches from footpaths. At some point we will return and fell a proportion of the numerous Corsican Pine on site. We were: myself, Philip, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Hap and Steve. Guy popped along briefly to advise. Cake was chocolate brownies. A good morning's work, and good weather too.

Planting prep in Autumn sunshine

A lovely Autumn morning. We were myself, Jess, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Ben, Geoff and Dave. We took 100 Hare guards and stakes, and 60 Deer guards and stakes up to Butterley Clough. I spent some time pruning the trees near the golf course second stile, since we will be carrying a lot more gear through there in the coming months. Seemed a good idea to make way. Stakes and guards are safely stashed on site ready for when new trees arrive. Lemon drizzle cake at break time (which was a bit late, as I lost track of time). Towards the end we helped Dave with his wildflower Meadow experiment. Which involves clearing a patch of Bracken and it's attendant root system, ready to be sown with seed in the Spring. Spoke to Bobby in the Sair and our pre-season meeting is now listed on their calendar.

Bramble on!

An enormously sweaty morning attempting to loosen the stranglehold of brambles on our young trees at Fieldhouse. We were: myself, Steve, Geoff, Philip, Dave, Hap, Duncan and Harvey the Dog. Guy and Mandy were working at the nursery. Cake was an improvised currant, cherry, choc-chip affair. There were a mysteriously large number of carrier bags in amongst the trees. Abandoned by blackberriers?

Parkwood Revisited

Philip amongst the White Willow

This morning we took a trip up to Parkwood in Golcar. Planted over 3 seasons from 2012 onwards there are trees at various stages of growth across the field. We were very pleased with progress. Willow and Alder are doing well in the wet parts of the field, and Downy Birch was growing well in the dryer centre. Deer guards have been well worth the money, as planting done with canes and spirals has suffered from deer browsing. We retrieved 36 stakes and a similar number of guards for re-use this Winter. We were, myself, Steve, Philip and Ben. Cake was apple flapjack.

Weeding and wood chippings

Under Dave's supervision we spent the morning at the nursery, weeding the large bed in front of the shipping container, and then distributing wood chippings that were being donated by a tree surgery crew who were working just up the road. We were myself, Dave, Philip, Steve, Ben, Remy and Guy. After all that, and quite a few extra work by Dave it looks quite smart. Cake was chocolate.

Wholestone Moor

This morning Duncan, Harvey the dog, Brian and Peter went up to Wholestone Moor to carry on guarding vulnerable oaks. Unfortunately Brian was knocked over by a boisterous dog (not Harvey) and had to retreat wounded, with Peter's help. Duncan stayed on and guarded 25 trees.

Midges, midges, midges

This morning we were at Marsden Golf Course Hemplow Wood. We began by beating down some bracken on the side of Butterley Clough, rescuing some young trees from a shadowy doom. Then moved up into Marsden Golf Course phase 1 to do some formative pruning. For the entire morning there were clouds of Midges attempting to consume us. We consumed home made ginger cake. We were, myself, Geoff, Jess, Steve, Guy and Remy.

Our rapid-response Ragwort team respond!

"Where be that Ragwort?"

Philip went to Fieldhouse to remove Ragwort plants. We planted Fieldhouse some years ago, and have diligently removed Ragwort - which is a horse-unfriendly yellow weed - for the last two years. A huge number of plants were removed last year, and very few remained to be removed this year. Harvey the dog was also there it would seem, alone?

A motley crew bash the bracken

Jess, Ben, Geoff, Hap, Simon, and Dave.

A rather warm Saturday morning, out on a hillside overlooking Meltham Mills. We were knocking back the Bracken which grows up and stops the sunlight reaching our precious little Oaks. A job well worth doing, but very sweaty, and quite a lot of flies/midges (hence the headwear). We were myself, Geoff, Dave, Ben, Jess, Hap and Philip. Duncan and Harvey the dog did try to find us, but failed. Cake was crunchy topped coconut cake.

Wholestone moor: guarding in the mist

The weather was promised as awful, but considering we were in thick mist or cloud, and experienced fairly heavy rain at noon, we had a good time. We were myself, Dianne, Jess, Cath, Duncan and Harvey the Dog, Ben, Geoff and Philip. We were putting deer guards onto Oaks that had failed to thrive from planting several years ago. A worthy cause. We were also removing guards from trees that had thrived. Home made oat and chocolate biscuits were the snack, plus some slightly out of date Minstrels!

Small Oak, new big tube.

Some Oak leaves looked suspiciously nibbled, but this likely looking culprit may not have been to blame, despite being called the Oak Eggar caterpillar/moth. Apparently it eats Heather and Bilberry.

Nursery work

We trimmed the perimeter hedge, weeded around the fruit trees and bushes and generally tidied up. It was damp. Jess brought 2 varieties of biscuits. We were Jess, Dave, Steve and Philip. We repaired to the Sair promptly.

Philip

Field House and High Wood

Dave, and path before

Path after

Gorgeous morning, too nice to stay indoors. So myself, Philip, Geoff, Dave, Steve, Remy, Duncan, and Harvey the Dog met at Fieldhouse.

Philip, Geoff and Dave worked to clear the stone flagged path that runs up the centre of the site. Myself, Remy and Steve removed plastic guards and some vicious brambles from Hazel planted 7 or 8 years ago. Duncan and Harvey took the guards off some Larch.

Cake was a classic Jam Sponge, and they were big pieces.

Steve removes tree guard.

Duncan's delight

Duncan's car full of deer stakes and guards.

Duncan (and presumably Harvey the dog) were hard at work yesterday retrieving valuable deer stakes and guards from Parkwood. Excellent work! We promise we will take up the baton and start Summer work soon.

Philip and I spent the morning visiting two landowners, and hope that will result in two mornings of planting in the coming Season. 400 trees apiece would be about right. One is a bridleway near old Ground, which could do with tree lining, the other is a field below Pasture Wood in Marsden.

Dave was also out and about, but I can't remember where he said he was.

And lastly, another cartoon...

Cartoon!

This comic strip (and four others) were created by Dave Beeston in 2002. The origin of "mattock rouge" is that particular volunteers develop affections for digging with particular mattocks, which are then personalised with a dab of paint or other adornment. We have had mattock rouge, mattock bleu and mattock orange. Plus others which are identified by minor differences imperceptible to the uninitiated. Somehow the rough charms of mattock rouge got thoroughly imaginated into a fully fledged super-hero. Dave as very carefully (and only slightly) changed the names of all individuals and places featured in the comics.