Bel's Wood

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....

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 telling some of the stories attached to them. This one is about the three mature oaks. I will blog about the three yew trees at the wood, a rowan tree that is special to me, praise the gorse on site and in my previous blog I told the story of Agnes the hawthorn tree. Check back in to see the other blogs which celebrate trees during Tree Week. There are three wonderful mature oak trees at Bel's Wood.  They are sessile oaks which are native to Cumbria. Meet 'Cecelia the sessile oak' which I am measuring in this photograph. She sits at the top of the land and was the first tree I named as she can be seen from afar and acted as an easier reference point in my mind than saying 'the big oak at the top to the north' This is Cecil-B, the same age as Cecelia sitting on the rocky outcrop to the south of the site. He provides a sheltered space fo...