As I was planting another 28 Alder whips, I could hear one of the big helicopters from Spadeadam just beyond the brow of the hill. It sounded very close, and sure enough, when it emerged it was directly over the barns, flying at about 50m above the ground. I have to admit it was slightly unnerving to watch it fly towards me and directly overhead, like a Vietnam war scene from Catch 22. I waved, in a slightly self conscious way, in no doubt that I would not be able to see even if they waved back.
Tree planting
Simon and I got the first 25 Alder trees in today. The weather was, if anything, too warm, which made it a very pleasant task but reduces the survival rate of the trees. There are catkins on the hazel and soft furry buds on the goat willow down by the stream. It is hard to believe it is only the middle of February.
Replacing lost trees
Last summer was hot and dry which were not ideal conditions for a young wood. As the wood establishes itself, the combination of self shading and deeper roots protect it from environmental fluctuations. However, for young trees, particularly those planted on underlying bedrock, it takes time to establish a strong root system and dry conditions take their toll. A survey last winter suggested that we had lost up to 10% of the trees, mostly on the rocky outcrop just below the house.
We decided to stick with a more limited selection of trees, based on those which seemed to have fared best. After some thought, we ordered 100 Common Alder (Alnus Glutinosa) and 100 Goat Willow (Salix Caprea) whips which arrived just before half term.
Walk to Penshaw Monument
Simon and I trekked up to Penshaw on a crisp, snowy morning. There was a slight thaw but still plenty of crunch in the 3 inches of snow underfoot. As we climbed up through the wood on the far side of the Wear, the sun came out from behind the clouds. The intense light reflecting off the snow gave a magical quality to the landscape. We stumbled on a lichen covered tree that seemed almost bioluminescent.
