Vandals or idiots

[Paul_B]

As an aside...I was on a walk in a new area for me which included quite a few coniferous tree stands in among grouse moorland. SOme were forestry commission but I think others were private. Anyway I was walking through on a bridleway that followed a track to the top of a hill with wood on both sides. About 4 steps into the woods I notices a poor but determined attempt at a shelter. It was made by supporting branches between three standing and healthy trees with a few props where needed and cut branches over the top to try and give it a roof. The whole thing was about 6'3" tall inside (6'5" ismy height and I only just had to duck). What do you think of that shelter? I did spot half attempts of other kinds of wood based shelters near this one, in fact about 3 or 4 all around this one. The wood looked like it was cut down and the roof branches had fresh looking needles on them.

I might be jumping to conclusions in thinking these shelters were not appropriate in that they probably used fresh wood and did not have permission. I didn't have time to see if any trees were damaged but I'd guess it is bad practice to build shelters directly onto living trees unless it is needed for shelter for real. As far as I know the FC do not allow bushcraft type shelters to be made on their land, I could be totally wrong on that. At the very least if permission was granted to someone or some group then surely the responsible thing would be to do it away from paths and tracks? This was on the main path up to a memorial that is a popular walking route too.

Is that not another bad example of bushcraft? Although I suspect the actual damage isn't anywhere as bad as the damaged trees in the OP's case.

 

[lannyman8]

well who ever took the burr knew enough to take it, as it is worth some money, either by selling the burr on, or by making somthing out of it...

as you say, adleast a saw could have been used to try and help protect the tree a little adleast...

maybe the birch was felled because its possition (half fallen) and then used some for carving spoons from the thick sections taken away, seems to make sence due to the burr being attacked too...

some people eh, i can even understand some green wood being taken, but not like that, cutting a whole tree down and hacking at the trunks....

adleast you still have permision which is very hard to find, but after seeing what can happen i can see why...

regards.

chris.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Well i have found out who cut the birch. The land is on the site of an angling club of which im a member. One of the members had seen the birch fallen over whilst walking around and thought it best to make it safe. He had also seen the chopping of the burls but had no idea what they were and what they could be used for.

Makes a little sense now but still doesnt excuse willful damage to the trees. Back there tomrrow for the day so will do my best to tidy up the damage.

 

[Kepis]

at least you got to the bottom of it, i know in my angling club anyone found doing stuff like that would be banned for life, any work that needs doing at our lakes is reported to the Fishery Manager (me) and i go and sort it out, if it's too big a job for me on my own, then i just arrange a work party day, nobody is allowed to cut or trim trees and bushes up there, reeds and stuff that impedes your swim, fair enough, the only exception being if the branch/trees/bush is causing a safety issue.

9 times out of 10 i get the problem sorted before the members even realise, we had a case last year wherea woodpecker took his hole a little too far and the Oak branch he was hammering fell, as i was at the lakes and saw it go, i went up the workshoip, got my safety gear on, grabbed the chainsaw, roped the area off and cut it up, it was too far gone to be any good, so i cut it up and stacked it in t he hedge for the bugs and beasties to enjoy.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

The lake has been frozen so nobody except me has been around recently. He was doing what he felt to be right with it being a possible safty issue so im happy thats sorted now.

 

[Soloman]

Looks like the work of the idiot that lives next to us,chops down native trees and plants rubbish in their place.
Funny thing is they never thrive.
Soloman.