Blog

Introduction:

The blog below outlines the work that has been carried out each month in 'Huntstown Wood'. A complete log of all visits and the work carried out is kept separately as part of the Management Plan.

June 2019:

• The geese and the goslings now visit the wood on a regular basis and spend time either grazing or relaxing in the grass.
• The cooler weather and rain during the first half of June made the wood quite wet and muddy in places.
• The shed has shelving, a work bench and a chair.
• A third bench has been constructed.
• Work on the Shepherds Hut continues with a delivery date around the middle of July.

May 2019:

• Work on replacing the path from the hard standing to Ride F has been completed using wood chippings.
• Young birds have appeared across the wood and many visit the camera traps / feeding stations.
• The boundary rides are greening up with grasses taking over where the work was carried out in October 2018.
• The paths between the Hard Standing and the rides have been improved / replaced.
• Guttering has been added to the rear of the shed in readiness for a water butt being fitted.

April 2019:

• Pruning work has been completed for the season; work on cutting out willow will continue.
• The original walkway between the Hard Standing and Ride E has been replaced with a new one containing more logs; the old walkway has been removed.
• Willow 'sticks' have been planted as a screen around the Entrance Area.
• The Entrance Area, to the north of the Hard Standing will be planted with flowering bushes, etc. to create a welcome to the wood.
• A second apple tree has been discovered; it flowers after the other apple tree.
• Spring has sprung across the wood with most of the trees now in leaf; the oak trees leaves appeared before the ash tree leaves.
• Contractors brought in at the end of the month to chip all the brash created whilst pruning; the piles of chippings will be spread out on the rides in due course.

March 2019:

• Two pairs of bench ends have been purchased, cleaned and painted before new slats inserted to complete them: these will be used as seating in the wood.
• Work continues on the pruning of the oak trees; Compartment 5 is currently being worked on.

February 2019:

• All the rides are now open along their full length.
• A few willow tree trunks still need to be removed from three rides.
• Work is now starting to remove the branches that overhang the rides.
• The Oak and Ash trees in Compartment 7 have all been pruned; work continues on cutting back the willow.
• Nest boxes have been put up in the wood to encourage nesting birds.

January 2019:

• Work to open fully Ride F and Ride H continues.
• Springs have been noted in the north west corner and channels have been dug to successfully drain much of the surface water from the area.
• Work has begun on clearing the area at the junction of Rides E and I as an activity, relaxation and work area.
• The three Camera Traps are recording the wildlife across the wood. Much of the recordings show repeated sightings of wildlife with an occasional new visitor or evidence of further numbers.
• A Shepherd's Hut has been ordered to act as an on-site office.
• A number of varieties of willow 'sticks' have been obtained are are being grown on for planting in the spring.
• Family members visited the wood at the start of the month.

December 2018:

• Work to open up the new central rides continues.
• Rides E (Fox Chase), G (Deer Drive), I (Rabbit Rise) and J (Badger Grove) are fully open for their entire length.
• Further logs have been added to the boardwalks to aid access between the hard standing and the rides.
• The boundary rides have dried off somewhat in spite of the heavy rain on occasions.
• A four wheeled garden trolley has been purchased to move items and logs around the wood.
• Some sawn logs - mainly ash - have been moved to the shed to begin drying.
• New birds have been recorded wintering in the wood.
• No deer were recorded in 'Huntstown Wood' until the end of the month when they were both seen by visitors and on the camera traps.
• Woodland Activity Cards have been created for visitors to use when visiting 'Huntstown Wood'.
• Family members visited the wood at the end of the month.
• A Pampas Grass 'mound' has been planted just inside the entrance gate.

November 2018:

• Contractors complete the work on the four boundaries.
• Contractors complete the work on the entrance gate.
• Contractors complete the work on the new hard standing.
• The two rides on the original plan have been cleared of trees and reopened.
• Work to open up the the new central rides continues.
• Boardwalks have been constructed of logs to aid access between the hard standing and the rides.
• Survey of ash trees undertaken to discover in which compartments they have been planted.
• Creation of a website, initially with a Google Sites web address.
• Purchase of http://www.huntstown-wood.land domain.
• Third camera trap set up in the wood.
• Shed purchased and erected on the hard standing area.

October 2018:

• First 'human' visitor to the wood.
• Work continued on clearing the boundary and central rides.
• The contractors begin work on the boundaries.
• The contractors begin work on creating the hard standing.
• Visit from the Forestry Commission.
• Ash Dieback and squirrel damage to trees noted during the Forestry Commission visit.
• Woodland Management Plan submitted to the Forestry Commission.

September 2018:

• Work continued on clearing the boundary rides.
• New central rides mapped out in the wood.
• Two camera-traps placed in the wood to record the wildlife.
• Quotes obtained for the replacing the boundary fence and creating a hard standing for visitors.

August 2018:

• Completion of the purchase happened at 11:00am on 22nd August 2018.
• The wood is named 'Huntstown Wood': neighbouring properties based on the name 'Huntstown'.
• Work started on clearing the boundary rides.
• One of the original central rides cleared.
• Change of ownership registered with the 'Forestry Commission'.
• Public liability insurance purchased to cover individuals visiting the wood.
• Management plan for 'Huntstown Wood' drawn up.

July 2018:

• A number of visits made to the wood leading up to the auction.
• The six acre wood at 'St Giles on the Heath' was purchased at public auction on the 24th July 2018.