Tidying up Green Owlers

For the sake of completeness I should mention that Sarah, Trevor and I went back to Green Owlers this morning and planted the remaining 30 Hawthorn, 30 Willow, and 20 Holly. We also went round the site putting the last few guards and stakes on trees which had been forgotten. It was a beautiful morning, and we listened to the Curlews on the moors while we worked. Brian had also been up there earlier this week tidying up. Finished! Trevor and Brian will be at Wholestone Moor this afternoon planting the last few there. Saturday, on to the next and last site at Will O' Nats!

Green Owlers week 2

See the many many trees planted, and the tired volunteers packing up

Amazingly, we got most of this site finished today. Over 1000 trees planted in two weekends, two Saturdays and a Sunday. My estimate is that we have 45 Hawthorn, and 30 Holly left from the original order, and maybe some extra Willow to bung in if we feel so inclined. We also came up short on stakes and guards too, so there are maybe 100 guards needed in total, and a similar number of stakes. I'll probably try to get these done one day this week, maybe with Trevors help. So, it was hard work, and we are all  probably quite tired, and the project management skills went a bit awry. But overall we can be quite proud that we got this done in so short a space of time. Nobody pays us to do this you know, we must be mad. Mind, we did have a very nice chocolate cake, made with Green and Blacks, maybe they'd like to sponsor us?

More tired volunteers, and another view of all our labours.

Green Owlers and Lindley School Owls

Mrs Shires, plus an Owl and parent, my mother in red hat lurking in the background

Every year we have a sunday when we are visited by the Lindley Owls. Mrs Shires organised a fantastic turnout and we got a huge amount of planting done, before the rain and snow and sleet set in. Home made biscuits were distributed, and the landowners made us a tea and coffee. A great morning was had, it was only the last half hour when it got a bit inhospitable.

Panorama of the site and Owls at work

Once again, a huge thankyou to Mrs Shires and colleagues for organising this, it gave us a big boost on this site and we got hundreds of trees planted.

Green Owlers. Dig, dig.... dig!

Duncan displays his supervisory skills

Our first week at a new site at the head of the Colne Valley. We have just over 1000 trees to plant in this field. The site is adjacent to previous planting from some years ago, so it all contributes to the gradual forestation! Though you can see by the landscape around, we have a fair way to go before its all woodland again. This morning we concentrated on digging holes, as we have the Lindley school Owls group coming out with us to plant tomorrow, and so we were preparing the ground for them. Its hard work digging all morning, so we needed our homemade Eccles cakes.

                                                                   Cath digs for victory                                                                                                    

See the barren moorland needing trees!