Harvesting wood

[Bartooon]

(I started off with the title "Getting Wood" but thought it might be misunderstood!)

I have to confess that I occasionally "borrow" the odd bit of birch or sweet chestnut for spoon carving etc from my local bit of the Forest. I always try to be considerate to the tree and ensure that I do no long term damage. I keep my cuts tidy and in a way that they will heal without harming the tree. I also ensure that there is no visual impact for other Forest users.

However, on visiting the area this morning, I found that the Forestry Commission had been doing a bit of pruning of their own. Having seen their efforts, it almost makes me wonder why I bother to take care with my own cutting!

Apologies for the quality of the photos, but it only had my phone with me and it was drizzly and misty.

 

[crosslandkelly]

That's shocking. Forestry commission, Forestry Vandals more like.

 

[mr dazzler]

Looks like they used a flail cutter, an evil machine if ever there was one.

 

[Clouston98]

The terms "pigs ear" doesn't do it justice, and is unfair on pigs! Seriously though, awful!

 

[ateallthepies]

I went to the local council offices a few years back and asked permission to take a few bits of wood for bowmaking from the forestry clearing works. Got a resounding NO!

The woods round my way are in a shocking state. Many trees have been ring barked, not sure if this has been done lawfully or by the local natives hoping for future dead firewood?

There are down trees littering the place and just rotting away, a lifetimes supply of carbon neutral heating fuel for several homes going to waste.

Steve

 

[HillBill]

Flailed by the looks.

 

[HillBill]

Squirrels do this a lot. Are there many in the woods you refer to?

The woods round my way are in a shocking state. Many trees have been ring barked, not sure if this has been done lawfully or by the local natives hoping for future dead firewood?

 

[Mesquite]

Yup... that looks like flail cutting damage to me.

I lost an entire crop of damsons like that when the farmer did his hedge just a couple days before I went to pick the trees

 

[ateallthepies]

Squirrels do this a lot. Are there many in the woods you refer to?

Lots of Greys yes but the ringing has been done with a chain saw by the look of them.

Steve

 

[HillBill]

Fair enough Are they Ash trees by any chance?

Lots of Greys yes but the ringing has been done with a chain saw by the look of them.

Steve

 

[ozzy1977]

Makes you wonder if tbey think that they do e a good job.

 

[HillBill]

Flailing, while destructive initially, and looking awful, actually benefits trees/bushes, as they regrow more that than they lost, Kind of a barbaric pruning... but a pruning none the less.

 

[ateallthepies]

Fair enough Are they Ash trees by any chance?

Not sure but I will be going back there tomorrow so will find out.

Steve

 

[HillBill]

It could be an Ash dieback thing if they are.

Not sure but I will be going back there tomorrow so will find out.

Steve

 

[British Red]

Flail cutters work fine in their place - sure we all want beautiful laid hedges - but I don't see many people queuing up to pay extra for their food to ensure they get laid hedges.

Dead trees in a woodland are not only a good thing, but a great thing - they are the fundametal building block of an ecosystem and home to many primary invertebrates

 

[thejj]

they are the same in wales ive been and run my own gardening firm for have 6 yrs and it shock me how these so called pros make such a mess of it NO CLUE poor trees

 

[chimpy leon]

That is the exact same method Stoke on Trent Council use as their tree "pruning" technique.
And when they do attempt to prune the bigger stuff back they manage to slash the bark of anything within a 2 foot radius of the intended branch. You can tell they havn't got a clue about felling either judging by the poor hinges the leave behind on the stumps.
They shouldn't be allowed to use an egg whisk let alone a chainsaw. Incompetent idiots!

Sorry about the rant but its got to the point everytime the above coucil enters my local park, they manage to ruin it that little bit more.

 

[Stew]

Flail cutters work fine in their place - sure we all want beautiful laid hedges - but I don't see many people queuing up to pay extra for their food to ensure they get laid hedges.

Dead trees in a woodland are not only a good thing, but a great thing - they are the fundametal building block of an ecosystem and home to many primary invertebrates

That just reminded me of these two threads I started years ago - I need to re-read and re-revise from them! It was quite informative.

Which supports more life - a living tree or a dead one?

What supports more life - a dead tree lying down or a dead tree standing up?

 

[British Red]

I keep a dead tree in my garden Stew.....its amazing....its a home for fungi I have never seen before. The woodpeckers adore it. I am hoping for stag beetles!

 

[Jared]

Agree with fallen and rotting trees aren't a bad thing.

But clearly the people that performed that "pruning" clearly don't really care.