Preparing to Plant
Delaying the planting from January to November 2023 has allowed more time to prepare the land. The priority is completing two bracken bashes this summer with the aim of reducing the strength of the bracken so that the saplings can thrive. I have also been able to do some gorse clearance from a few areas missed by the contractors to create more space for planting. Some trees have come down and have blocked some of the ground needed for planting and I am slowly clearing this. To confirm that the space required for the planting will be fully available, and spot whether any further work is needed this summer, I have o nce again asked Andy from Shepherd Aerial https://www.shepherdaerial.com/?lightbox=dataItem-kn0qc5ia1 to take aerial photographs of Bel's Wood. These images will also act as a valuable record of progress over time. From November the land will look like a sea of plastic guards for the next couple of years so it is great to have this 'before' record. The photograph