Pasture Wood, Marsden, week 1

Geoff is undoubtedly a much, much, better photographer than me.

Today we returned to Pasture Wood, which is getting 1000 Scots Pine added to it. This site was planted 9 years ago, part funded by the Forestry Commission, and they didn't deem Scots Pine an acceptable tree for the site back then. Since that time, they have revised their guidelines, and it is now ok to plant Scots Pine on the site. The Scots Pine should thrive here, and will act as a nurse species for the existing slow growing trees on site, the Oak and Holly particularly. The trees and materials were delivered yesterday and myself, Guy, Mandy and Julian helped unload and carry all the gear across a field to the planting site. Today we were myself, Geoff, Philip, Dave, Remy, Hap, Chris, Mandy, Guy, Stephen, Peter and Ben. It is a tough, steep site, and we planted around 200 trees. Very windy up there, but the sun came out at the end. Cake was date and walnut. Very nice.

Those who also served: Brian, Peter, Trevor, Dianne and Jess went to Parkwood Golcar, with 75 trees, Common Alder and White Willow. A much flatter site, though very wet underfoot.

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.