Well that does add some weight to your opinion. For what it's worth to this thread, I've been living in the woods continuously for years - that's why I'm asking. We can all agree it's safer not to be in the woods on a windy day. I'm not disputing that. I think this thread could be a valuable resource if we get past that and share ideas for at least minimising the risk even though it may remain high.
Yeah that's a good point too, there's no way of knowing from the ground whether a branch or treetop or whole tree will fall. Even if it falls away from you I suppose the roots coming up from underground could do some damage.I realy think it's a false sense of security, which could end up bad.
It's not just Ash dieback (and Beeches) to worry about: for example, the Grey Squirrels have brutalised many (most) of the Silver Birches in my woodland, stripping the bark around the whole tree in great lengths. As the top of the trees die parts of them are getting blown down in the wind / gales.Yeah that's a good idea. It's getting to the point where I don't feel safe sleeping in the woods at all any more - especially with this news (to me) of ash dieback - which is sad because that's what woods are for isn't it??...
Good to know. I thought conifer plantations among the safest woods, even after my close encounter with the douglas fir tree top. John Muir wrote a great account of riding out a gale at the top of one of them!Trees grown for timber other than rods, Oak, Elm, etc., those aren't so likely to drop like Beech can do, nor as likely to go down in windrows like plantation pine.
That's basically what I'm building but not for protection!I know that in the past the folks who had to work and live in the woods used to pull over the tops of saplings and lash them together.
Good to know. Do they eat it?It's not just Ash dieback (and Beeches) to worry about: for example, the Grey Squirrels have brutalised many (most) of the Silver Birches in my woodland, stripping the bark around the whole tree in great lengths. As the top of the trees die parts of them are getting blown down in the wind / gales.
They use it to light their fires.Good to know. Do they eat it?
n00b said:
Good to know. Do they eat it?
As well as lighting their fires I think that they're doing it to get their own back on me for shooting a number of their brethren in the past. You'd think that me planting a load of new trees for them would have paid that debt off? Nah...They use it to light their fires.
No. Don’t fall asleep…..As well as lighting their fires I think that they're doing it to get their own back on me for shooting a number of their brethren in the past. You'd think that me planting a load of new trees for them would have paid that debt off? Nah...