Well myself and another local resident last week, finally got to meet Tim Jenkins, the new National Trust warden - or rather, Ranger, as they are now called. This was primarily to discuss the proposed Woodfuel project - see full background details here.Photos: Randwick Woods and some of the sites that might be thinned
Tim is clearly very experienced and has worked this area before - and better still he seems enthusiastic about engaging with the community. It is unfortunate that the National Trust is not better resourced - we would like to have got this project started earlier but with no Ranger initially and then waiting for Tim to start - and Tim has a number of sites and a huge area to cover.
Anyway, we have seen a number of possible sites near the top of Ash Lane where wood needs to be removed. This would be some conservation work in return for the wood removed. Most of the sites have smaller trees and it is either thinning or removing from sites in a paddock - often fairly inaccessible places. We would also need to carry wood some distance. Tim would do all chainsaw work and be present at all the work sessions.
The first opportunity Tim has to work that area will be January/February and we would try an initial group - then if that works have regular sessions next year. Are there others interested in joining the group? This does seem to be a great opportunity to participate in helping maintain our local woods and get some wood in return. More news on this project in the future!
2 comments:
Where did the idea that woods need to be looked after come from?
I read in the New Scientist years ago that they had found it was better to mainly just leave forests, and woods to look after themselves, as they have done for hundreds of millions of years. Dead wood becomes a good habitat to insects, for example.
Might be so for ancient woods but these are new woods or pasture - agree there is a biodiversity value from deadwood but managed woods can be better still
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