Cutting Back for Future Growth

January/February 2008

Anyone taking a walk in the Community Woodland will see that a great deal of work has been done this winter, pruning back some of the trees and shrubs. Since planting for the millennium, the trees have all grown really well and are now strong enough to survive cutting back to improve the future appearance of the woodland. Leafield Woodlands committee has, with the help of Nick Mottram from the Wychwood Project, drawn up a new five year plan to guide the Community Woodland project as the trees mature.

A work party cut back the brambles in the top hedge on January 12th. Holly trees and bluebell bulbs, grown from seed, have been planted.

We have employed a tree surgeon to cut up the fallen branch from the mature ash by the tump viewpoint and reduce the weight of the remaining live ones. He pruned back selected branches from the mature ashes by the coppice; if they continued to grow, the hazel below would diminish; to grow straight poles the bushes need to be shaded from the sides but receive lots of light from above.

The top hedge needed action, as we wish to retain the group of trees grown and planted by Leafield school children as a feature; blackthorn suckers were beginning to encroach and overhanging branches, to restrict their light. The Cotswold Wardens have helped us by cutting back the hedge near the young trees. The Wardens also trimmed back the viewpoints and opened a new "window" from the glade. We are very grateful for their hard work and enthusiasm.

2008 news index