Luke Quenby

Any one into or looking to get into charcoal burning in the Bedfordshire area? Currently looking to start restoration of over stood hazel coppice across a site of around 60 acres. Some of the coppice will go for firewood, some for hedgelaying materials and traditional uses but it would be good if some could go to charcoal burning also. This could be a good long term opportunity in a decent woodland with good access. Finer details to be disscussed, just putting some feelers out at the moment to see if anyone in the area is interested. Pm me if you wish. Cheers.

It is very helpful. I first stumbled across it a few years back, cuts out trying to extract information from your local council and because it's under the defra umbrella it's (generally) up to date and covers a multitude of things [emoji3] Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Magic map http://magic.defra.gov.uk/ Defra map, you can put all different layers on like sssi, felling licence and conservation areas etc etc. Easy to use and tons of land based info. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

To wet for laurels by the sound of it, there a Mediterranean plant so don't like clay / cold / wet. They will do well on the sandy stuff but laurels and clay don't generally mix to well. Very easy to overwater them, this will make the leaves go brown and lead to failure fairly quickly. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

If you or the customer is concerned about this then scoring the bark in a spiral, bit like a helter skelter, around the main stem will encourage quick growth where there is none. Works best on Hawthorn and Blackthorn, best done early spring or as the saps starting to rise.

Bit of a random one but wondering if anyone can help me. I've acquired about 15 - 18 ton of Oak cord, all around 3 - 6" diameter and about 3 - 4' lengths. Cutting it with the chainsaw is fine, but time consuming and steady. Does anyone know of anyone or has access to a log saw / saw bench / processor to hire out? Located in Beds but will travel to pick up, would need it for a weekend I would guess. Splitter not important, only about 20% will need splitting and I'll do that by hand. Any help much appreciated, thanks.

That's a fairly low pollard!

A phase 1 habitat survey is a basic enough ecological report that should satisfy the conservation officer. You could omit the desktop / historical aspect of it and just go for a walkover survey and produce a basic hand drawn annotated map to accompany. This will give baseline data and information to work with, and the ability to pinpoint any areas for further study or specialist work without to much effort. This link should help point you in the right direction Phase 1 Habitat Classification Pm me if you need any help, I've done plenty of them and this sort of thing, might even be persuaded to come and have a look for you. Cheers.

Sounds a plan, I should be getting the binders and stakes in the next week or so and would hope to get started over Christmas, but have lots on so more likely first couple of weeks of January. Shall post pics when done!

Nope, its west facing and shading itself out. There's a few ash trees nearby, but nothing dramatic. The mess to the top left of the pictures is the start of the woodland / mature yew trees. I'm not to worried about it looking 'proper' and the definition of proper varies greatly but I'm certainly not after manicured, just a bit more managed! Should have mentioned the pictures were taken a couple of years ago, I've taken all the dead base out now, and reduced / pollarded / removed some of the self set Ash and H. Chestnut close by.

That's what I was thinking about the long pleachers, and Yew's pliability should be a help. Hoping someone who has tackled something like this maybe able to comment on their experience? I've done my share of hedge laying over the years, and love it, but never taken on a Yew hedge like this. Its not a particularly long run and is pretty gappy, but to let the other hedge plants, flowers and the Yew hedge itself thrive it needs something doing to it!

Thanks for that Alec, encouraging, I hadn't seen this thread, not been on for some time. I've no doubt to the re-generative properties of Yew, and have given some severe treatment over the years for them to flourish like the pictures David put up, so am not worried in that sense, but am interested to know if anyone has ever layed a Yew hedge before. I will try and post some pics to see if that sheds some light. As for the Oaks, long term work in progress! Your not forgotten! Did you ever get any pics of milling the big lump up?

As the title suggests, got a Yew hedge that was once upon a time (50+ years ago) clipped and shaped nicely in some old pics I've seen. Many years of neglect means I've basically inherited the 'skeleton' of where it was regularly cut and tall spindly regrowth about 4 - 10" in diameter and around 15 - 20' high. I've removed all the dead, and am now contemplating what to do for the best next. I've started planting various hedging plants below, but these are obviously going to struggle for light to get going. The master plan is to eventually turn the area next to it into a wild flower / wild area, so I need some more light and want to manage the hedge better for diversity and wildlife. I'm wondering if laying it and gapping up is feasible? Never seen or heard of a Yew hedge being layed before, so all opinions welcome! Cheers.

Some Yew I did a while back with my ms660 and 24" Alaskan. And a few pictures of a couple of bits made with some of it.

There you go, quite as a mouse, but if your felling deadwood, its still gonna make a noise when it hits the deck! http://http://www.flinn-garlick-saws.co.uk/acatalog/Specialised_Products.html