Dens

It seems to be the season for den building.  The poles we cut when coppicing just cry out to be made into something.

Some are still in the early stages

They can be formal and solidly framed

while this one is more roof than walls

My favourite currently is this spidery affair.

    

As long as no damage is done to living trees, I think this is a rather good, creative activity for younger visitors to the woods.

Frosted thistles

A frosty morning. 

As well as being spiky, these spear thistle leaf rosettes are covered in little hairs, 

which is why they catch so much frost.

And on this last image you can see the buds in the centre of the rosette.  

They are waiting for summer weather so that they can grow into tall flower stems.

The Day's Eye

The common daisy is a cheerful sign of life, amongst the first leaves on the new year's woodland floor.

It's name means 'day's eye'.  It closes at night and in dull weather when there is less chance of being pollinated by insects.  Keeping its powder dry.

When you can cover ten daisy flowers with one foot, you will know that spring has arrived.

Woodchip on paths and steps

Here we have Derek, Chris, Peter, Alan, Phil, Will and Eric following 

their successful refurbishment of the path through the Valley Woodland (posts 8 to 11).

The path gets eroded and compacted 

so we have to top it up with woodchip, which was kindly donated 

by Ian Pullen of Tree Management near Wotton.

We have also added woodchip to the path and steps either side of the footbridge.

Catkins ready

On 18th December I wrote that the hazel catkins would be shedding golden pollen in February but some are already doing it.

Signs of spring

Birch and sky

White bark on silver birches against a blue sky is a winter wonder on a clear day. 

Although the trunk and branches are silvery white, 
the young shoots and twigs are a pinky purple.

Hedging our bets

Out of the apparent disorder of coppiced wood, we have already made some useful produce.

Hedging stakes are five foot long poles to help create a laid hedge.  They are sharpened at one end so that they can be banged into the ground to support the horizontal laid stems of the hedge.  

The stakes are tied into bundles of five to make them easier to move around. 

Here is a truckload of 30 bundles - 150 stakes - ready to deliver to our customer. 

All funds raised from such sales of produce are ploughed back into managing the woodland.for wildlife and people.