tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post893041542969378939..comments2024-03-27T09:27:33.931+00:00Comments on Idiotic Hat: Avoiding GiantsMike C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-54012705379560847232016-05-05T09:06:43.415+01:002016-05-05T09:06:43.415+01:00It's interesting that the angry giant / early ...It's interesting that the angry giant / early church thing is so prevalent, at least across northern Europe. I've heard it as an 'explanation' of glacial erratics in the UK, Germany and Sweden. At one time, there must have been thousands of giants hurling rocks all over the place.<br /><br />It's even more interesting how often 'mismanaged' woodlands are just those that don't look like what we expect a woodland to look like. Ugly trees are good for wildlife.<br /><br />Seems churlish to complain about rising water tables, after so many years of aquifer panic.Struanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13263096707648672923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-41530621970428076722016-05-05T08:13:16.974+01:002016-05-05T08:13:16.974+01:00Struan,
Not tempted by the brawling giants explan...Struan,<br /><br />Not tempted by the brawling giants explanation, then?<br /><br />Yes, Spearywell Wood (near Mottisfont) is an odd mix of regimented conifer planting and neglected broadleaf woodland. I presume the Forestry Commission took it over, at least in part, from some negligent former owner at some point, hence all the grown-out pollards. Deer love it, but birds don't, so much.<br /><br />I suspect rising water tables may also be contributing to the large number of felled trees -- we had a big one go over in the copse behind our house in a wind last month, the roots just seem to have lost traction in the wet ground.<br /><br />MikeMike C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11279776665185060446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6096844366367766843.post-57528644088587193362016-05-05T07:48:40.416+01:002016-05-05T07:48:40.416+01:00The Yew looks like it may well have started life a...The Yew looks like it may well have started life as two saplings alongside each other. That would explain the lack of raw wood in the split and the clean division of the root ball.<br /><br />Grown out beech pollards (this looks like one) are known for dropping huge limbs. If not re-pollarded, the branches get so thick that cutting them back can easily kill the tree. Then you have a choice of risking killing it by pollarding, or waiting for the branches to get so thick and heavy they just peel off the bole, sometimes splitting it to the base. Epping Forest is full of these dilemmas, having been left unpollarded since WWII.<br /><br />Both of these trees may well survive, if left alone by tidy-minded land managers.Struanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13263096707648672923noreply@blogger.com