Forward Planning

Foxglove has the largest area of Willow Carr in Swaledale. This is managed by coppicing in blocks; there are five compartments and each is cut down to the ground every ten years in rotation. The result is healthy Willow of different ages to benefit the maximum number of wildlife species. Last year an area was cut and so this winter coppicing is not on the main list of jobs. However, next year's coppice block has become choked with Birch saplings. In an effort to make next winter's task easier, the Birch is being removed to allow the Willow to flourish.

The trees were relatively small and the brash was separated from the thicker trunks that will be useful eleswhere. This involved a lot of dragging however, with ten volunteers to help you could soon see the where the group had been and there were plenty of new glades for wildflowers.

Thank you to everyone for their hard work today, what a difference it has made!

Out on the moorland, the team from Coxon Brothers were also hard at work; they have been landscaping the pool at the end of the main wetland. This will link into Plover's Pool and will really improve the habitat for wading birds.

Pond restoration by the Coxon Brothers also continued along Risedale Beck and the second pond now has a new inflow pipe.

The dam that creates the depth of water around the pipe has been rebuilt to ensure that the pond is kept full during the summer.

It is quite a feature from the footpath, as are the newly restored ponds that were previously overgrown and drying out.