Big log

Guy, how long is that log? Is it a "Dave"?

More thinning and formative pruning at Netherwood. Dave was snedding trees that Philip felled today that were not done last week in the lower part of the site (M10b). Guy and Mandy were formative pruning and manual felling at the top of the site (M12c). They met with the landowner to explain why we were thinning and formative pruning -  and then took some of the logs back to the nursery, leaving some for the landowner.

Mulch matting in Marsden

Dianne mulch matting, dogs watching.

This week we were up above Marsden, planting a further 90 Alder and 90 Goat Willow in Neil and Sarah's field. There was a special aspect to this as Neil and Sarah are such diligent landowners that they mulch mat all their trees. This takes a quite a lot more work, but helps ensure vigorous growth from the get go.

We were: myself, Hap, Geoff, Lesley, Robert, Ben the younger, Ben the elder, Jess, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Neil and Sarah, Peter W., and Stephen O., Andrew and John. Plus special guests, Chloe and Julian, who were there in order to write an article about us for the Huddersfield Examiner.

Cake was apricot and walnut.

We also left 105 Beech and 105 Dogwood for Sarah and Neil to plant, at their leisure!

The Tree Amigos - manage some woodland.

Contrary to scurrilous rumour, Philip, Stephen and Guy were hard at work today. The first photo shows a formative pruned/semi-managed tree in foreground along with 2 Oaks still in guards that now have more light.

The second photo shows a couple of Stephen's log piles and his well stacked brash. All these trees were planted by CVTS about 18 years ago. The small glade created by felling the Alder will allow light to reach to woodland floor and allow biodiversity to do its worst.

The Magnificent Seven

I wonder why they don't let me in front of the camera more often?

Here we were back at Butterly. I say we, but our numbers were significantly down on last week. That said 7 of us did the same work as 23 last week. Old school, rainy day, hard scrabble tree planting.

We were: myself, Geoff, Adrian, Peter W., Dave, Steve and Andrew. We planted 105 Oak, 30 Scots Pine, 30 Bird Cherry, and 30 Birch.

There was another sub-group, the glamorous chainsaw boys were out and about. Stephen K, Philip and Guy may have spent the morning admiring each others chaps and oiling their chains, or doing some well needed thinning and felling. Evidence to follow.

Dampened but unbowed.