Wholestone Moor - week 1

We had a good day on Saturday, though didn't get all 250 trees planted. We planted 125 Oaks and 25 British Alder in Wholestone Moor phase 3 (the long strip parallel to the motorway). Beating-up seems to be more time consuming than straight planting. I always forget how noisy the M-way is when you are right next to it.

A combination of 2 trailer trips for Dave, one for Brian with stakes, and guards in various cars we got all the stakes and guards up there. People had there back seats down in readiness! Raymond couldn't get his tractor going initially, but came back at 10.30 in his tractor with trailer. We loaded up the trailer with 500 stakes and Guy's 500 standard plus guards, which is now parked at the top near to the planting area. Guy appeared and drew a map of where the trees are to be planted.

The 100 stakes and thin guards are on site in Wholestone Moor phase 2 ready for the 100 Alder which I took back to the nursery and heeled-in.

We were: Dave, Geoff, Jess, Diane (and Lizzy the noisy dog), Peter T, Peter W, Stephen, Hap, Duncan (and Harvey the quieter dog), Philip, Steve G. and Ben. Brian helped to trailer and then disappeared. Cake was ginger.

Philip

Linthwaite WW1 planting

Everyone eating cake (bar Philip who took the picture, and Harvey who wasn't allowed cake).

This was our fourth week of commemorative planting at Butterley dam. We planted 106 Oak, to represent the casualties from Linthwaite, together with a similar total of nurse species, Scots Pine, Rowan and Alder.

We were: Hap (who I missed off last weeks roll-call so apologies), Cath, Dianne, Jess, Steve, Stephen, Peter, Geoff, Dave, Philip, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Ben and myself.

Cake was the ever popular coconut crunch top.

There was a lengthy on site discussion about my persistent capitalisation of the varieties of trees that we plant. 

Golcar WW1 planting

Today we were back above Butterley dam, planting the third of our groups representing WW1 casulaties. This morning we planted 156 Oaks for Golcar, along with a similar number of Rowan and Scots Pine to act as nurse species while the Oaks get established. At least 300 trees got planted in all.

We were: myself, Hap, Geoff, Stephen, Jess, Dave, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Brian, Trevor, Peter T, Steve, Ben, and Cath.

Cake was Apricot and Pecan.

The weather was disappointingly variable, with some fairly substantial winter-y showers blowing through.

Slaithwaite WW1 planting

Someone is looking jaunty there in the middle.

The second week of our commemorative planting for the Colne Valley. This week we planted 118 Oaks to represent those lost from Slaithwaite. We also planted 25 Scots Pine and 75 Alder to act as nurse species for the Oaks.

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

Cake was Cherry rock cakes.

It snowed. Quite a lot.

Dave, on the right, clearly isn't letting the weather get him down.