Bolster Moor and Scammonden

Another two-fer morning, led by Brian. The first site was at Bolster moor, and involved planting 200 hawthorn for a hedge for a local landowner. Most of our planting does involve creating more wild wood environments, but hedges and shelter belts also contribute to biodiversity. The work also fosters good relations with local landowners, who pay for the trees but get our (not inconsiderable) labours for nothing.


The second site was a farm below the Lower Royal George pub. We began planting a number of small plots within the farm's fields, creating small wooded areas. The weather was pretty poor, windy and occassionally rainy. But we did have a short Jameson's whiskey break, and cake, to fortify us. As you can see we needed fortifying, it was cold and windy up there, and wet underfoot too. The first picture is of John and Peter, the second features Rob, Geoff and Trevor leaning into the wind.

Return to High Wood

Back to High Wood again this morning. It is a large site that will occupy us for some time, including some of next season. This morning we were planting more Hawthorn and Oak on the Westerly side of the site, and preparing ground for a group from Lindley school to do some planting in a couple of weeks time. And I occupied myself rolling up some old barbed wire that might be a bit hazardous with small children around. We were delighted to see Bob this morning, who hasn't been out with us for a while.

Return to Royd House Wood

Back to Royd House Wood again this week, to do more thinning of previously planted trees. We had two chainsaws in action this week, and the rest of us with loppers and pruning saws. We got quite a lot done. I came a way with a car load of firewood, which, while not the main purpose of the morning, is still good. Often our planting schemes involve packing trees in tightly together, 2 metres apart or less. We monitor the progress of sites. If not all the trees have grown well then there is of course no need to thin them out. Occasionally we will find that a certain type of tree is not thriving on a site, and we will go back to that site to "beat-up" (plant more trees). If all the trees we planted have done well, then thinning out may be necessary.

Today's cake was lemon drizzle cake, and lovely it was too. Everyone greatly appreciates my mum's home made cakes each week.

The work was followed by our mid-season committee meeting in the Sair, Linthwaite, at 1pm.

High Wood week 2

Another fine morning, glorious in fact. Back again to the site above Slaithwaite, we are likely to be coming back here a fair bit, as it is a big site with several fields to be planted. This morning we were planting Hawthorn down one side of a field, plus some oak in the field itself. Also, willow sticks were planted. We cut some willow sticks while at the nursery first thing in the morning, then I managed to jam a load of them in my ancient Fiat panda. They were sticking out the front and out the back, they were quite long sticks. Anyway, made it to the site safely. Those sticks were then cut in half and we jammed all the sticks into the ground up and down the length of a small stream that runs through the fiend we were working in. The theory is that the willow sticks will sprout and grow roots in the wet ground, so fingers crossed. First picture up shows the hillside, wall where we planted the Hawthorn in the background, stream running down the centre, and those reddish sticks are our willow. Left to right, Philip, Geoff, and Heidi.


Second photo is of Society patriach, Brian, busy putting guards on the new trees.

This weeks cake was chocolate cake, made with the finest Green and Blacks organic chocolate.