GVCV TASK 15 NOVEMBER 2020 – STANWAY ASH WOOD

On Sunday 15 November 2020 GVCV worked in Stanway Ash Wood, Tewksbury for FWAGSW, continuing an ongoing task of coppicing a Hazel grove.. See the report from out first session at this location GVCV TASK 01 DECEMBER 2019 – STANWAY ASH WOOD for an overview of the site and the task.

Our raised platform and bundled stems as at the end of previous session. Compare with the greatly increased volume in the team photo taken at the end of the current session.

A textbook example of a coppiced stool – well done the man / woman who produced this.

We try to make first timers especially welcome, though some of them look like old hands from the start, finding a comfortable seat at lunch time.

A classic example of a two man job – one working and one watching.

The small diameter stems we cut we harvested for use but the coppicing process meant we also had to take out the larger stems. These must be of use, though we were not told for what, so we stacked them neatly for others to process. We did however utilise them as a dry seating during lunch.

A possibly greater issue is the large amount of brash which we are producing. On many sites we burn the brash which disposes of it, keeps us warm on frosty days and allows us to offer baked potatoes for lunch. Fires however are not permitted on this site.

This shot shows that we are actually achieving a cleared space in the grove – we just need to achieve an awful lot more of it.

A great team photo. A set of fulfilled volunteers standing proudly beside their achievement, a nearly full containment of Hazel bundles.