Yesterdays job

[APC]

Yesterday, we were coppicing alder along the bank of a fishing lake set in landscaped parkland. We were doing this for several reasons. The main one being that the nature of growth meant that the weight pushing outwards could split the stools and thus the brickwork in the bank. Second reason being to recreate the viewline from the lawn to where the original house used to be (knocked down in the 50's).

 

We decided to do it while it was icy so that cut material could be laid down onto the ice if it was leaning that way, and then hauled in and chipped.

 

Cord wood has been ringed up and put in the firewood bay to season. If I had the time, I would have given a go at making charcoal.

 

Any material left on the bank after we had chipped and blown the tracks was mulched down with a Scag flail. Again, if time wasn't a factor, I would have had all mulch removed from site. The grass is pretty vigourous here though, so should be unrecognisable by the summer.

 

Obviously this isn't a massive huge stuntfell or anything, but I think that it looks 10,000 times better than it did before.

 

 

 

 

[APC]

 

 

[David oakman]

Looks nice good job:thumbup:

[Parker]

Sweet job!

[Tom2020]

Nice job in the end well done

[carlos]

looks a nice job to do, handy to use the ice to your advantage for a change!

[western]

nice job mate:thumbup1: bet its some carp and tench in there:thumbup:

[djbobbins]

Looks like a real improvement. Are the stumps being left to re-coppice? If it's anything like the 40 or so alder I felled last year it will be 6 foot high again this time next year!

 

Out of interest, I used a couple of pieces of green alder (about 3-4" diameter) as props for an upside down water tank which I was using to stack some other timber under.

 

The bottoms of the props were pressed into rich loamy soil, not too wet or anything.

 

Three months later I went back for a look and was a bit surprised to see my "props" had sprouted leaves all the way up and were growing. Is this common? I've not seen it before and don't know if it's something specific to alder??

[APC]

The lake is a fishing lake with common carp to 30lb (average 10lb), bream, tench, perch, roach, rudd. Also some pike slung in there by locals. We have around 35pegs and these are all kept clear. It is not specificly a carp fishery, it is mainly for kids to come and keep busy catching roach/rudd, with the bigger specimens for their dads.

 

The alder we cut was left in the past to provide a screen to stop anglers from fishing around these areas. It was decided though that the landscape value, and the fact the trees will damage the brickwork. The stumps are being left. It was a job thought up on the fly really, taking advantage of the ice, hence I wasn't able to send a herbicides near water application in. I think this year we will keep it down low and see how it goes with the anglers, whether we get any grief from their new-found freedom. If it's all good, I imagine we will treat them.