For the two work parties in January we started to clear and open up some of the area alongside the path between posts 13 and 14. This is the path we've been trying to improve recently by covering it with wood chip. The area we are now working on has mature trees, some small scrubby trees and bushes along with some bramble. It's quite dark here when the trees are in leaf and there are lots of hart's tongue fern and similar stuff. We don't want to completely clear the area but it would be good to let more light in and provide some access for the people who use the woods for leisure and recreation.
These photos give an idea of what this area was like to start with.
Lots of small or scrubby bits and plenty of Hart's Tongue ferns.
We began next to the path - it's on the right here, and took down some of the larger material.
We made good progress and had a reasonably big section cleared ...
... but produced a lot of waste material in the process.
We stored this up for now and will use it later on in the year for repairs.
We had made a good start but there's lots left for us to do.
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We returned on Wednesday 28th Jan for the second January work party and carried on from where we had finished last time.
This is pretty much what we started with.
Eric and Peter set to work removing a small scrubby tree that was beginning to impede a stronger growing tree.
Eric, Jim, Peter and me then wandered around the area tidying up any small stuff and arranging them in piles of graduated sizes. We will be using most of the small stuff to form some dead hedges and the thicker pieces for step repairs and dam maintenance.
At subsequent work parties we will go further in past the wood piles and do some 'gentle' clearing in the area through the trees in this photo with the aim of making a rough path through to the Jubilee Way.
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