Exactly 10 years ago I came to Reddingfield wood, in 2015. Then I went to see David at the recommendation of Sid Cooper, as someone who owned a wood who could give me advice and inspire me. Now I came at the invitation of Small woods, of which I am a paid up member, a wood owner for these 10 years. I’d forgotten David was exactly my age. I notice the change. Back then Ash Die-Back was relatively new, and David said I suppose we’ll have to get to like Sycamore. Not only has he come to like it, he actively encourages its growth in the wood, it coppices well (didn’t know that), and is excellent firewood. The new diseases are sooty bark (Sycamore) and Acute Oak Decline. As the group of woodland owners took photographs and closely examined the D shape exit of the Agrillus bettle, I found another marker of change, as I stood back, this time with this knowledge. David and his team have found 5% of the oaks in the wood are with AOD, (he’s marked them all), like me, he needs to thin to oak standards, to alleviate the stress.
Country Wildlife Site, due to 3 varieties of St Johns Wort, harking back to it’s once meadow days. Lots of talk about fencing, how 95% of new trees suffered through deer grazing. Lots to accept – that this is a deer park wood! Jeeze I think, worried about my unfenced land. Nice pollard of Small Leafed Lime.
We ended with the kit. This is one of the great aspects of David’s wood – the processing kit on site, turning the wood into utility. I remember his wood splitter but new was the bansaw which cut some poplar beautifully into 1/2 inch plants – elegant. Most of all I was jealous of his Martin Truck!
Kaliwood 