2018
To see last year’s work go to Diary 2017
August 2018
Dial Hill – moving hay (newly tractor mown) into woodland; pulling regrowth of non-native everlasting pea and grubbing out brambles in reclaimed grassland
July 2018
Grassland management on Dial Hill during a heatwave – controlling toxic ragwort and two non-native & invasive species (garden escapes) – everlasting pea and purple toadflax
June 2018
Quinney’s Wood arboretum starts to take shape with tree labels in place
Quinney’s Wood – fixing tree name labels to posts and cutting hogweed & cow parsley
Closely mown paths in Quinney’s Wood add contrast to lush vegetation & provide access
The Community Orchard – cutting areas of rank grass & other vegetation and raking off the arisings to improve the orchard floor. The grass paths are mown to enhance access.
Dial Hill – rank vegetation is brush cut and raked off to promote species rich grassland while thistles are forked out and non-native honesty and purple toadflax is pulled out.
May 2018
Dial Hill – a patch of grassland is mown to control the spread of non-native everlasting pea while thistles are forked out to reduce competition with other native species.
Dial Hill – grubbing out of invasive everlasting pea on a recently scrub-cleared patch, follow-up control of sumac & ragwort, and thinning out of thistles & purple toadflax
April 2018
Norton’s Wood bridleway – cutting encroaching brambles and overhanging branches
After weeks of wet Wednesdays the Orchard is finally dry enough to prune more overgrown apple trees to reduce their height and encourage more compact growth. Elm saplings near the ditch are thinned out and all brash burnt.
Dial Hill – forking out spear thistle in grassland and thinning a grove of ash saplings
March 2018
Clevedon School – extending informal woodland trails to increase accessibility
The Millennium Community Orchard – pruning to reduce height & spread serves to lighten the load on the crown of apple trees that are leaning due to wind and wet ground.
Late winter work at Clevedon School – extending the area of accesible woodland and creating new habitat by cutting back brambles and thinning sycamore saplings
February 2018
More hedge trimming at Quinney’s Wood and grubbing out of brambles beneath
Remedial pruning in the Millennium Community Orchard
Quinney’s Wood – trimming the top hedge and burning brash
January
Felling a field maple in Quinney’s Wood to reduce competition for light and water
Coppicing hazel in Quinney’s Wood while brash is burnt on a welcome bonfire
