Bel's Wood

For National Tree Week 2024 I have been celebrating different trees and their contribution to our world. Here are the stories I have collected. Celebrating the Hazel Tree The Hazel tree has contributed to human existence through providing coppiced wood (for bean poles. fences etc) for thousands of year. It regenerates quickly and is known to ‘spring back’ hence many coppiced woodlands are often called Spring Wood. Their yellow leaves have been adorning the roadsides in autumn and have now fallen.    This is an old Hazel that shows signs of having been coppiced in the past and is now growing and maturing with a wider trunk and a wonderful crown creating a broad canopy shading out bracken but allowing other plants to grow. It pushes out its catkins in autumn ready for spring. Hazel is in the top 10 trees to plant for birds and wildlife and is associated with dormice which are now extremely rare. Hazel nuts provide excellent food which can be stored over winter. Autumn Colour ...

It is National Tree week in the UK from from 25th November - 3rd December so I have decided to blog about some of my favourite trees. Check back in to see the other blogs which celebrate trees during National Tree Week. This one is a bit different. W hen I first researched developing a new woodland I came to the conclusion that dead wood should remain where it fell having read a great deal about woods and forests.           This project would not include coppicing or providing wood for burning off site - I would burn some when up there but that's all.  I would leave fallen trees where they landed and allow the wood to decay and return the nutrients in the wood to return to the earth. I may need to tackle trees in particular instances. This lovely oak came down in Storm Arwen in November 2021 and fell across a neighbour's fence. I tried to cut it back sufficiently that the new deer fence could be erected but the crown did need to be cut to create space....