Finishing the Job

Four days after the tree work, on May 26th, Terry and the tractor returned.  It was almost exactly a month since the rains of April-May began and the ground had dried out enough to finish the work of clearing the remaining wands.

Chug, chug, chug....Look how much I can carry!

Volunteers got a bonfire going.....

....and Terry piled on more wood. 

                                                                                                       

 By mid morning this stage of the work was finished.  Terry departed to return later with a smaller tractor, a plough and a cultivator. 






With these he lifted the deep ruts caused by the tractor in the rain a month ago

the damage has been repaired

Now the mower will be able to get through without falling into the ruts.

  

Tree work on the edge of the plat

Along the boundary with Scathes Wood, at the lower end of the plat, not far from the footpath, four trees have grown up overshadowing the nut trees and stealing much of their light.  We took a careful look at them and, with the agreement of the National Trust, we agreed that they should go.

First in line is an Ash tree.

Then three trunks of chestnut growing off the main stem of a magnificent parent tree.






Tony, a forester and regular volunteer, has chainsaw certification and all the equipment needed to do the job.

Stand clear! it's going....

.....going

....and she's down!

Tony makes it look easy but this is precision work. He lays the Ash tree down in a clearing,with impressive skill, hardly touching the nearby nut trees.

Safely down

Now the first of the chestnut trunks comes down and the branches are cut into convenient lengths.  When seasoned they will make excellent firewood and some can be used to repair our damaged gatepost.

Next the second chestnut comes down...

Finally Tony tackles the third of the chestnuts....

 .... and soon has it lying alongside the others.

Four hours have gone by. This has not been a light morning's work but it has been expertly done.

The nut trees will benefit from the extra light and the parent chestnut tree, free from its unwanted offspring, now has room to breathe.