Areas/compartments with long term aims and proposed work for the year 2023-24 (3 pages)
COMPARTMENT OR AREA | LONG TERM AIM | SHORT TERM | ||||
1 | Welcome area | Keep as short grass Maintain tool store Consider making charcoal in kiln | Maintain by monthly cut in growing season | |||
2 | Stream Crossing | Maintain | Reinforce eroding bank downstream | |||
3 | Cuckoo Pen | Coppice with standards – one coupe per year Utilise derelict cowshed as a campfire site, wood store or e.g. stage for an amphitheatre | Coppice a section of hazel in winter 2023-24 Fell dead trees near paths and thin out some trees to allow in more light Clear nettles round fallen oak Remove trees crowding the three limes | |||
4 | Paddock | Hazel coppice | Sheiling School (or somebody else) could coppice a bit more | |||
5 | Old Plantation | Non-intervention | Leave fallen trees to rot Maintain path Fell dead trees and prune dead branches overhanging path Plant occasional conifers for birds | |||
6 | Jubilee Way | Maintain | Keep encroaching brambles under control | |||
7 | Beech plantation between Jubilee Way and Viewpoint | Return to grassland with a few trees as part of grassy slope Maintain southern boundary | Remove bramble and blackthorn roots with mattocks to promote wild flowers Reinforce fence at top of slope | |||
8 | Grassy slope below Viewpoint | Wildflower rich grassland with occasional trees, mainly oaks planted by jays | Cut and collect grass, one third of area each year Remove brambles gradually | |||
COMPARTMENT OR AREA | LONG TERM | SHORT TERM | ||||
9 | Viewpoint woodland | Maintain as beech and yew woodland plus other species | No action other than controlling blackthorn | |||
10 | Viewpoint | Keep as short grass | Maintain by monthly cut in growing season | |||
11 | Rough area near post 6 | Non-intervention | Maintain the few trees present, control blackthorn. Use as dump for cut grass scythed on Viewpoint area | |||
12 | Hazel plantation | Hazel coppice with a few standards, | No action this year | |||
13 | Path and steps either side of Footbridge | Maintain this heavily used path | Keep steps repaired and topped with woodchip; some stone to reinforce middle of steps in winter. Continue experimenting with sloping path – trenches, cross-sticks, stone, woodchip, etc | |||
14 | Valley woodland east | Maintain as high forest with a light canopy and clearings for wildflowers | Keep path repaired and levelled with woodchip, removing overhanging branches and cutting back encroaching blackthorn. Thin out some of the trees gradually to increase light to woodland floor Create a clearing in preparation for creation of pond by damming stream | |||
15 | Valley woodland west | Eventually the same as valley woodland east. This slope was formerly rich in wild flowers | No action this year | |||
16 | Ash Wood (adjoining Valley Woodland) | High forest | Clear out litter from former camp site | |||
COMPARTMENT OR AREA | LONG TERM | SHORT TERM | |
17 | Ride below pylon from bottom of slope as far as footbridge | Flower-rich grassland | Cut and collect one half of grass annually In future years cut back encroaching bramble |
18 | New Plantation | Coppice with standards | No action this year |
19 | Ride from West Corner up to Memorial limes | Maintain as a wide ride so that it dries out better Maintain steps at west corner into allotment field | Prevent further encroachment by brambles In future cut back brambles by 3metres Repair steps at west corner (more robustly) |
20 | Memorial lime area | Keep as short grass | Maintain by monthly cut in growing season |
21 | Hilltop Pond | Maintain in the hope of welcoming amphibians | Some pruning of trees to let in more light to encourage marginal flowering plants. |
22 | Hilltop Wood Pasture and Meadow | Wood pasture with pollarded trees and flowering plants | Cut and collect one third of grass annually |
23 | Everywhere | Keep litter free | Collect litter |
24 | Everywhere | Maintain safety for visitors | Monthly walk round to assess risks and mitigate where necessary |
25 | Picnic bench, 3 benches at viewpoint, (one near pylon), one near memorial limes | Maintain seating - 5 at present | Repair erosion at viewpoint |
26 | 20 numbered posts | Maintain posts as a guide for visitors | Paint numbers and renew stripes as required |
Jerry Dicker, March 2023
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