Swog members joined Alex Bienfait in his beautiful and diverse woodland in Pluckley at the weekend for a meeting with the theme of small scale extraction of timber. We are indebted to Alex not only for his hospitality but also for arranging a demonstration of some timber moving equipment by Keith Douglas from the Micro Arb Truc Company.
Rich Townsend of the Forestry Commission’s Tree Team at Westonbirt
Arboretum helping to mark out the sculpture’s location.
Katrina Podlewska, Communications Manager at the Forestry Commission has sent us details of the sculptor being built with the products of the 2000 year old lime coppice at Westonbirt Arboretum. It looks a bit different from last time I was there, in full leaf and nearing the end of one of its 20 year coppice rotations, it provided great shelter in a torrential downpour. Take an umbrella if you visit it this year!
Woodlands.co.uk have created a very useful document giving advice about how to care for your woodland track. This is especially relevenat after the deluge of rain most of us have suffered over the last year or so. A printer friendly version is available for download here.
Happy Christmas to everyone, particularly to those who are suffering from the atrocious weather at the moment. I guess all of us will be having trouble getting into the woods, but this is just an inconvenience compared to those who will have had their home flooded.
Dwarf Haircap (Pogonatum nanum)
Bernie and Theresa (The Barrowers) recently had a survey of mosses and liverworts in their wood. It was carried out by Tom Ottely from the British Bryological Society, you may have seen the recent discussion on the forum about it. Here's Bernies report of an interesting aspect of our woods, which may go unnoticed. Many thanks to Tom for offering his services, I know several members have found it fascinating.
The SWOG meeting at Hendall last month was well attended and despite the appalling weather which was around us at the time, we somehow managed to stay reasonably dry! A well positioned tarp and make shift Tea room proved to be in exactly the right place at the right time when the heavens opened to a torrential hail storm.
Many thanks to Howard and Shirley who have sent us a nice write up and photos of their recent meeting at Clan Wood. Look out for this article and more pictures in ‘Living Woods’ magazine.
John Sinclair from the Sussex and Surrey Coppice Group has sent us these interesting pictures of charcoal burning in Turkey.
Here’s the reason why many of love our woodland, no matter what time of year it is, a magical experience is always there to be had. Thanks to Greyman for sending us these photos. If you’ve got any you would like to share send them to me by email and I’ll put up a gallery. It would be quite nice to have page for each month as the seasons move on.
rich@swog.org.uk
Here’s a chance to add to the growing evidence that woodland ownership, being in a woodland, talking to the trees, communing with nature….. is GOOD for us!
A selection of 'Naturescraft'
Andy Noble of Naturescraft is offering some excellent deals on his bushcraft courses this year.
“For the whole of 2012, and not just for a limited period, we have reduced all our 2 and 3 day courses for this year to just £100.”
He ran a special SWOG introductory day back in September 2010 which enthused and inspired everyone who went along. See the report here
http://www.swog.org.uk/articles/natures-craft-bushcraft-day/
The UK’s woodlands have been threatened in recent years by a range of exotic pests and diseases. Here’s an excellent article from Dr John Morgan, head of the Forestry Commission’s Plant Health Service, including a handy chart to help you identify them and what to do if you find them.
Download the full article here.
Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones pupils Thomas Hughes, Rhodri Morgan Hughes and Ifan Hughes plant a tree in their new woodland.
Happy New Year to everyone! Maybe the excesses of the festive period are waring off by now and minds are turning to your woodlands and all those winter jobs. You might be coppicing, cutting firewood, clearing glades and rides, laying a hedge? There are plenty of jobs to keep us busy this time of year, the story below is what some school children are up to in North Wales.
There is something very satisfying about planting trees. I’m not talking about the 21st century ‘instant gratification’ sort of satisfaction. More the knowledge that you are making a difference to the landscape; how it will look in years to come and the kind of ecosystem the trees will support and be part of. I find this comforting even if we probably won’t be around to see them all come to maturity.
Below is an article from the FC about the massive tree planting program going on in Wales this winter.
On behalf of all the SWOG team, I’d like to thank everyone for contributing to the forum, the website and coming along to this year’s meetings. Hoping to see as many of you as possible in 2012, have a very Happy Christmas, prosperous New Year and much enjoyment from your woodlands.
Rich
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Richard Hare
SWOG website editor
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