Pollarding

Following our busy winter worky day last Saturday the Reserve Managers continued in the coppice block. Work concentrated on thinning Hawthorn and pollarding willow.

Pollarding involves removal of the upper branches of a tree, promoting a dense head of branches.  Pollards once were used to demarcate boundaries where hedges were not suitable. At Foxglove we pollard willow and some other trees along net rides to ensure that vegetation is kept at the right height for bird ringing. Birds tend to travel between the tops of trees so if vegetation is too high around mist nets, they simply fly over the top of them.