Trimming the Willow Grove at Turnditch Orchard

 About 10 years ago we planted a willow grove to dry out a wet corner of the Orchard where a historic ditch ran before the embankment was built.  We planted a hybrid willow called Salix Viminalis. It grows fast and tall. We trim the willow to a chest high coppice at the end of some winters to keep it under control. The trimming looks harsh, but it soon regrows.

Dealing with overgrown Blackthorn

 I took some time to start tidying some overgrown blackthorn at the orchard, where it's encroaching the fruit trees. I cut the bushes to leave stumps about 30cm high.  We'll pull them up later with our Extractigator tool, but I wanted to get started before the wildbird nesting season. Here's a video if you'd like to get a feel for the work. Cutting down blackthorn is a hard job as these bushes a laden with thorns, of which the tips are coated with bacteria and fungus that can cause a nasty infected wound. Thorn proof gloves are essential for this work.

Now to tidy the mess!

 We've got some work to do to get the Orchard embankment tidied up.  Don't ask about taking the logs, they are already spoken for by friends.

Ash Dieback works.

 Well, the work to remove the diseased roadside Ash trees has taken place. It took a couple of days for a team of five men to complete the works.  Now the tidying up work has to start.

We had hoped to capture some stunning drone footage of the work in progress, but unfortunately, the weather had other plans!

Our arborist discovered that some of the tree stems were rotten, posing a potential risk to passing traffic. To manage this safely and sustainably, the branches were chipped on-site, and the wood chips were spread across the embankment—this way, we could keep the infected Ash wood contained rather than transporting it elsewhere.

Once we've finished clearing the fallen wood, we'll begin our replanting programme in line with the Forestry Commission's felling licence. The exciting part? We’ll be introducing a mix of native broadleaf species that are resistant to Ash Dieback, ensuring a healthier, more resilient woodland for the future. 

As for the remaining Ash trees, they'll be carefully monitored. If any show significant signs of infection and become a safety risk, they’ll be removed on a case-by-case basis. Our priority is to protect both the environment and the people who enjoy it!

Our thanks to Yeomans Access and Arb for their services. HMRC benefitted by 20% of the bill in the form of VAT on this public safety work. We were not eligible for any grant support.

Stay tuned for updates as we continue our work to restore and rejuvenate this beautiful green space. 🌿✨

No more detectorists

A couple of months ago, I did a favour for a pair of local detectorists, loaning them the key to my Orchard gate so they could carry out some metal detecting. There was no charge, no hassle—just a simple understanding that the key would be returned within a week.

Well, here we are, and the key is still missing. No return, no explanation, nothing. This complete disregard for a basic agreement has not gone unnoticed.

As a result, they’ve ruined it for everyone. I will no longer allow detectorists onto my land, and the padlock will be changed. If people can’t respect simple terms, they won’t get access—end of story.

Let this be a lesson: if you can’t be trusted with something as straightforward as returning a key, you won’t get the privilege again.

Note: 10 Mar 25  I spotted the detectorists, who'd borrowed the key, in a field adjoining the orchard. I was busy at the time, and they made themselves scarce, not taking the opportunity to chat with me.

Restocking after Ash Dieback removals

 As part of the process to apply for a Felling Licence, we've had to specify our restocking strategy for the felled trees. This is what we propose.

Native Broadleaf     55%

Holly Species          10%

Hazel                       20%

Hawthorn                15%

The felling licence is for individual trees rather than clear felling (removing all in one exercise). We'll monitor the health of each tree before  deciding to fell, except the roadside trees subject to the Council demand. After felling a tree we'll plant a couple of whips, protected by tree guards, mulching the base of the tree, and checking  progress periodically.

Practising with the Forestry Pro 2

 After completing the tree measuring exercise for the Forestry Commission Felling Licence I thought it would be sensible to double check some of the tree hright measurements. I took the Nikon Forestry Pro 2 to the orchard with a spreadsheet printout of the Ash trees.  Most of the leaves have now fallen so I can more easily see the tops of the trees from the limited confines of the orchard.

The Forestry Pro 2 works by measuring the time it takes for a brief pulse of near-infrared laser light to bounce back from the target object. In that respect, it is a bit like a radar.It can measure distance with an accurance of a cm or two over a distance of 100 metres, its full range is about 1500 metres depending on conditions. There is also an in-built clinometer which measures the angle you are tilting the device at the time the reading is taken.By performing trigonometry on the readings the device can calculate:

• Distance of object
• Angle of the object, from horizontal
• The horizontal distance
• The height of the top of the object.

For height measurement you have to trigger the tool whilst sighting on the bottom and then on the top of the object, such as a tree. This is called the two point mode.  There's a three point mode where you first measure the horizontal distance, then aim it at where the top is and then at the base of the object (tree); this works even if you can't see the top/bottom of the tree. The caclulation is completed in less than a second and displayed on an LED screen inside and outside of the Pro 2.

With the sample I checked, my earlier height estimates were reasonably accurate compared to the readings I obtained.