We have recently been asked by a couple of customers about training courses for managing woodlands. There are quite a few out there, covering general management, woodland crafts and specific practical skills such as chain-saw operation. Most small woodland owners are interested in short courses at weekends; the wood is after all a hobby, and
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Blog Archives
I’ve been working on a woodland management plan for a farm near Bude in North Cornwall. They have 50 acres of woodland and the new owners are keen to get to grips with the woodlands. A simple summary would be some excellent conifer stands, a bit over 40 years old, but recent broadleaved plantings
Treragin Wood is now 22 years old, and I am into the second year of its first thinning. But already I am having to change my thoughts, with 30% of the woodland being planted with ash, and likely to suffer from ash dieback disease. The original planting mix at Treragin was designed with a firewood
The long discussed trial culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire are now underway, with Somerset starting last week and Gloucestershire this week. There has been much debate in the media, with a majority of public opinion against the culls, but the level of detail in that debate often leaves something to be desired. Bovine TB is
I recently helped run a tree disease identification day on behalf of OPAL (the Open Air Laboratory). The day had been organised by the Caradon Hill Area Heritage Project and twenty people came along to the hall next to St Cleer Church. The morning session started with a fascinating talk given by Tim Kellett of
Well finally the government have announced the levels of support for their plan to encourage non gas using households to adopt sustainable heating systems – the Renewable Heat Initiative. It may be of interest to woodland owners in two ways: firstly you have a very cheap source of sustainable fuel, and the Government is keen
The Government spending review, published in June, included a 9.6% cut to Defra, which is on top of previously announced cuts. That is certain to mean further cuts for the countryside agencies, including the Forestry Commission and Natural England. That’s likely to mean less staff, again, but no news yet on how it will affect
The last fortnight has been a little gloomy, with the first confirmed outbreak of Chalara fraxinea (Ash dieback disease) in mature ash in Devon. Fifty miles from Treragin and closing! I have been thinking about how to respond when (and I regret it is when, rather than if) the disease reaches us. I included 30%
A case of the tree disease Chalara dieback of ash has been confirmed in a woodland in Devon. Devon is the 17th county in Great Britain where Chalara has been discovered in the wider environment, as oppose to recently planted trees. This brings the disease much closer to our own area of the south west,
Things have been quite quiet at Treragin Wood in the last month. I have finally finished filling the new log store, which is three times the size of our first. This is to help run the new woodburner, which is connected to four radiators around the house, in our first attempt at central heating. I
