A great turnout today from our members to help with brash clearing work following the thinning work.
The morning session concentrated on clearing the public footpath which historically it is thought was an ancient track used to take livestock from Hackness Valley to Seamer. The track is extremely wet and boggy and has a spring appearing halfway down. More work will be needed to improve the drainage from this track if it is to be used more by visitors.
The larger brash was collected and pulled to the Middle Ride Track ready for either logging in to firewood logs or to be chipped.
After lunch work was concentrated on converting the larger brash pieces in to firewood logs. The remaining brash was sorted ready for chipping and we are very thankful to Thorne Park Farm for bringing their tractor and chipper.
Work was also undertaken to re instate drainage ditches which had suffered from the impact of forestry equipment. Even after this very dry period areas of the woodland floor is very wet from the water running from the springs along the woodland slope.
There is still plenty of work for our volunteers to clear brash and to open the drainage ditches to improve the state of public footpaths. We have decided to arrange a second event in two weeks time on Saturday 16th March and the more people turning up the quicker and easier the restoration work becomes.
It was great to see so many turn up to volunteer and a special mention to Andy who travelled all the way from Guisborough for the day. Andy has been working with Chris Wadsworth cutting trees and was keen to support our volunteer work and our ambitions for the woodland.
A very big thank you to all who came today from the Board.
