So, I was checking out a wood for the Ancient Woodland Survey. It was the one where I found all those elms ages ago. I originally went in because I heard squirrels chasing each other.
Anyway, I was greeted by a sign saying that trees were being felled. As I am one of the "idiots' whom Reserve Officers detest, I went straight into the wood. There wasn't any activity. You can't mask the sound of a chainsaw. Nor can you mask its impact.
They seemed to be cutting down the ash trees. I guess in case they were diseased. But these trees were not dead and were providing seeds and homes. Remember, I saw a woodpecker go into a hole here to feed her chicks..
In fact, I think this was her tree.
Even the lumberjacks seemed intrigued by the hole - cutting it out of the wood to reveal the inside.
Now, you might think that this open canopy will encourage the growth of ground flora and maybe some young trees.
Maybe. But the only little trees growing were densely packed sycamores of between a few weeks and three year's growth.
What are they doing? And why are they doing it while birds are nesting?
And why did they leave two trees precariously hung up?
Look, I know there are no rights of way in here, but that tree shouldn't have been left if they are returning to fell more or remove the timber.
I found this depressing. Maybe there's a good reason for it.
As for the Ancient Woodland thing, I seem to recall someone telling me that this site's name is Ganboro Plantation, which suggests it's not Ancient.
I sat here last year just bathed in the peace of the place. I watched a hunt come through. A less happy memory. But this place felt... special. And it hurts me to see this.
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