Tree Thinning Completed

Work on thinning one area of young woodland has been completed today with four volunteers working to reduce the competition from Birch, Bramble and Gorse to allow the trees planted in this area to get ahead.  We also had Colin in to top up the bird feeders around the Field Centre garden and the ones located near to the hides by the Lake and Wetland.

Accompanied occasionally by the calls of both Mallard and Greylag Geese that were flying by, the thinning involved selecting the best examples from the young growth of Alder, Hawthorn and some of the Birch and Willow, while making sure that there is enough light and room for the Oak, Rowan and Blackthorn in this area to develop further to provide future woodland habitat.

Several of the planted trees are in tree tubes and over half of these had broken stakes which were replaced.  One tree had outgrown its tube, splitting it at the top of the tube.  This could cause further damage to the tree with the sharp edge of the collar of the tube rubbing into the bark so the tube was removed and a new stake and tree tie fitted.  We were joined for part of the morning by the regular group from the Dales School who visit the Reserve on Tuesdays, who helped move the cuttings to the bonfire.

Thanks to the small group of volunteers who finished this task today, which will make a considerable difference to this area of woodland in the future.