Senseless Vandalism

[Big_bazza99]

I am fortunate enough to own a small 7.5 acre wood in the North East of England near Loftus & Easington. It is about 40 miles from my home so I don’t get there every day.
I went to wood on Sunday and walked through as all the new leaves and fern growth are coming through. Everything seemed fine.
Today, I had taken the day off work to meet with the Forestry Commission to look at the woodland and specifically Woodland Improvement Grants to improve the woodland and attractive a wider spread of birds and wild life.
I spent about 2.5 hours with the chap from the FC who was extremely informative and now have many ideas about the regeneration of the woods.
Following the visit, I went for a walk with my wife to sit and eat our lunch, however we saw what looked like a fallen tree, so went to investigate.
When we got closer, the reality of the situation emerged. Several trees had been cut down some small birch 5 – 6 cm diameter, one large birch 10 – 12 cm diameter and approx 30 – 40 ft long and several large branches from a very mature oak had been cut off.
They used the large birch as a bench, tried to burn the 5 – 6 cm trees and the thick oak branches, with little success.
At some point they also started 2 fires up against 2 other trees, charring the ground and more importantly the trees.
We cleaned up their left melted coke bottles, bud lids, empty vodka bottle, 2 condoms (one unopened) tent pegs, string and tent poles.
I have also informed the police for what it’s worth, but was absolutely saddened and furious that people can behave like this.
I had my chainsaw with me as there was a dead pine that I was going to cut up, but instead, I cut up the remaining wood and filled the boot and back seat of my car (5 Series BMW – so gives the impression of the amount of trees/wood these ******** have ruined).
Some pictures of the sorry sight:

 

[Home Guard]

Utter scum.

 

[sandbender]

That is sad.

Maybe you could find some long standing members here who are local to your woods and that would be able to keep an eye on the place for you?

 

[Shewie]

Sorry to hear this Baz

Warm and dry bank holidays must give landowners nightmares.

Hope you get something sorted, maybe arrange for a few camps there for the next few weeks and see if you can deter them.

 

[andybysea]

Sorry to hear /see your damage,chances are whoever did it will be back again,how high up from ground level is the damage in the first pic?

 

[JAG009]

These people who do such things should be shot and burned!! Rant over !!!
hope you manage to get the mess cleaned up ,and hopefully nature will repair the rest

Jason

 

[Toddy]

I love our right of access, but that's not right
That's just a slap in the face to everyone who goes out and leaves no trace but a bit of litter tidied up.

I'm really sorry this happened to your woodlands, and hope it never happens again.

I think that Sandbender and Shewie's idea might be worth pursuing, at least with the occasional quiet meet up with folks you know from here or other forums you might get some help to dissuade the vandals and have some help sort out the mess.

atb,
Toddy

 

[Big_bazza99]

The highest branch that has been cut off the Oak was about 20ft up. They have cut off 2 small lower branches which left them with good footings for climbing them 3 higher branches which were very thick and heavy.

They have clearly come prepared to cut the wood and have been very industrious in doing so.

 

[Big_bazza99]

One thing I must say was that the PC actually came out and had a look at the damage. Had a good chat with him and he was interested in buying the wood when it came up for sale last year as he had similar interests.

 

[oetzi]

Its the same everywhere. My favourite sleeping place gets striped from wood to build fires, even though there is more than enough dry beech around this hut.

 

[Silverhill]

Gutted Bazza, simply gutted for you mate. It seems to be a recurring theme of late with the good weather mate. I'd second the suggestion of allowing locals (maybe even allowing one or two shooters to use your land if you're that way inclined?) to patrol the land in return for use or collection of fallen wood for personal use?

Hope the damage can be sorted!

 

[outdoorpaddy]

Disgusting. I know the feeling. There a small but substantial area of forest just beyond my garden that separates us from a golf course. Its mostly 20-30 yr old Pine and a few Beech trees but its a nice environment and handy for a bit of bushcraft. A few years ago there were thugs who were drinking and messing around with fire and ended up setting fire to part of the forest. The Fire Brigade had to come and hose everything down, now its a dead, black and burnt out segment amongst the rest of the forest, apart from the area where a minor version happened again previously to the more recent event. They also stole a tarp of mine. I am ashamed to be part of this disrespectful younger generation, but there are few, like myself, who have respect for nature and value it. I do light the odd fire, but always controlled and precautions are always taken. I hope your forest can recuperate, and that you catch them.

cheers,
Outdoorpaddy

 

[Robbi]

i feel for you mate, i walk along the coast path near me most evenings with the dog and see snapped saplings, rubbish, discarded beer cans, old disposable BBQ's left about, it's a beautiful walk in the colder months but the warm weather brings out the F*** witts big time.

it's actually illegal to drink alcohol in a public place here, but you see the youngsters walking along the coastal path in groups clutching crates of beer and lager, makes me wonder why the cops just don't nick them all, do it a couple of times and the problem would go away, no louts, no litter, no damage etc etc etc

maybe thats just too simple.

 

[greensurfingbear]

that would really boil my p*** too mate! I feel your pain it happens on the reserves I look after...at least they are public spaces but sorry you have had to deal with it on land you own! Unfortunatley I can't help but feel that this sort of thing is going to increase with the way things are going. People thinking that the countryside is a cheap alternative to to "regular" holiday and far to many people are ignorant of how damaging they are to the places they visit.

good luck with the FC grant. I helped secure a 4 year grant for a park I look after. We are thinning plantations that were way to dense and manage the meadows. the main aim has been to improve the woodlands for birds. You meet with a chap called Mike by any chance??

Orric

 

[outdoorpaddy]

Robbi, i don't suppose thats the coastal path from bangor along to Helen's Bay or am I in a completely different spot?

 

[Robbi]

it surely is mate, do you know it ?

 

[outdoorpaddy]

Hah, I know it well, I live about 1 min walk from it, I'm the shortish 17 year old, wearin the blue North Face jacket, walkin the brown Boxer, if you've ver seen me!
thats crazy!

 

[Robbi]

LOL ! small world ! i'm the 50 year old with a flat top in olive moleskins smoking rollups, with the scruffyest black standard poodle whippet cross, runs like the wind and no brain. ( she looks like a bedlington whippet cross )

 

[outdoorpaddy]

Haha thats ridiculous, I'll look out for you, as for the fires i mentioned, they were bordering carnalea golf course and bryansglen and i know what you mean about the ones with crates on the way down to the beach, crazy, i saw people havin a big fire on the grass at crawfordsburn country park, would have said something but wouldnt fancy a broken nose and concussion,
I'll be lookin out for you!

 

[Robbi]

see ya down there some time matey