Tag Archives: laurel

Woodland Works Warmly Welcomed

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We’ve had some positive news from Jacob Hill, Nature Conservation Officer in the Council parks team. A small amount of funding has come forward to start works on the Woodland Management Plan and its proposals.

One of the main tasks now being programmed is the crown lift and removal of overshading branches from around the recently restored pond near the Echo (point A on the map), this is proposed to include monolithing the sycamore on the north-west side of the pond which has a basal cavity running up the main stem. Pruning was chosen over felling for these trees as it was felt that they offer significant value for nature as mature and healthy specimens and they did not qualify for felling on safety grounds.

Contractors will be engaged with a mandate to make significant cutting of cherry laurel in the Thirty Acre Wood portion of the estate. This is an are included in the Grade II Registered Historic Landscape, but less frequented and more valued for its ecological value.

A large compartment of cherry laurel to the west of the Echo Path has also been earmarked for removal. Laurel felling will also progress within Penpole Wood, in location on the steep slope to the north side of the main path (B on the map). These are areas KWAG has been reluctant to approach because of the gradient and risk to volunteers, so the proposals are warmly welcomed.

Working Party update: Hot and bothered in Penpole Wood

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The summer always see our working parties operate with diminished numbers; holidays, sport, and hot weather have all taken their part this season. Nevertheless, a small band set to work on cherry laurel regrowth that’s been gradually making its way back into the area since 2016; yes, it really has been a decade since we removed the forest of invasive species form the natural woodland.

Before and after views looking in the direction of the avenue into Penpole Wood from the edge of the main path through the same.

Surprisingly, ten years’ growth was not as bad as might be imagined. Effective treatment of the laurel stumps by the Council back then appears to have held them back. Despite that, there remained challenges.

The growing cherry laurel had offered the perfect climbing frame for brambles, and pulling these from the bushes was a challenge in its own right. Still in bird nesting season, we didn’t tackle any that were dense enough to support nests.

The panorama from the main path through the woods looking south. Laurels here were nowhere near the size of those felled a decade ago, but threatened to get out of hand once more.

The final effect was not as transformative as the original felling, but has retarded the cherry laurel again, perhaps for another decade. The area is, again, more open for native species to flourish, a number of specimens of the one-tree-per child planting scheme still growing strong.

The view westwards through the area, in the direction of Penpole Point

Working Party update: Another pass through the View Garden

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It was a bit of a surprise that it’s been two years already since we cleared through the old View Garden on the north side of Napier Miles Road. Since then things have changed remarkably from the barren space left beneath the cherry laurels we felled. There’s definitely been a lot of new green growth coming up in the area despite some of that growth being resurgent cherry laurel.

May’s working party sought to keep on top of that regrowth and ensure the area doesn’t succumb again to this invasive species.

Before and after work at the View Garden looking west towards Kings Weston House across Kings Weston lane.

Slow work on laurels in Penpole Wood

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Perhaps it was the forecast of bad weather, or the holidays, but we had a very low turn out in July for the working party. However regrettable, we were still able to make headway on our challenge of clearing cherry laurel from an area close to the historic Scouts chapel in Penpole Wood. We will need to return here again this coming week, to today as much as to complete the job.

The difference made between June and July, with the lime trees of the Scout’s Chapel appearing beyond. 

The work over the last couple of months has revealed another post quarry, later turned into part of the landscaped grounds of the house. As well as views through the woods to the tall lime trees around the Scout’s chapel, itself part of the Georgian landscaping, work has opened around a mature beech tree and yews. The last push in August should add another beech tree to this collection of veteran parkland trees and open the woodland floor for colonisation by native species.
 
Because of the small turnout, and the rain that eventually curtailed efforts in the afternoon, we were unable to property and safely tidy up the area, but we made sure that nothing was blocking any public areas around the quarry. Apologies for the unsightly mess, but we’ll make sure to clean it up this time around!

looking eastwards, along the slope, with the main path through the woods on the right.
The view in the opposite direction, in the direction of Penpole Point.


Laurel clearance concerns

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Please be reassured…

KWAG appreciates that there is some concern locally about the felling of laurel in Penpole Wood. We do understand that the degree of change can be challenging, but we’d like to assure everyone that the work KWAG are doing is necessary for the future protection of the Ancient Woodland.

Over the last few months KWAG volunteers have been undertaking two projects directed by the Forestry Commission; Natural Spacing and the removal of Laurel. Natural Spacing is good practice to thin-out poor quality saplings to allow the best ones, and most importantly the existing mature trees, to thrive with less competition. It promotes growth and reduces the risk of disease.

Cherry Laurel is an invasive foreign plant, and has serious implications for the health of natural woodland; it suffocates all other competing native species by preventing light from reaching the forest floor. It also decays slowly leaving a cocktail of toxins in the soil that retard the growth of other trees and ground cover.

It’s also on the Dogs Trust list of poisonous plants for dogs.

Laurels recently felled

Laurels recently felled

Although laurel’s been present at Kings Weston for centuries, introduced as an ornamental shrub, it’s now run wild, threatening the nature, fabric, and diversity of the Ancient Woodland; as such it needs to be removed.

Although it will look bare for a short time, especially now in winter, the removal of the laurel will allow the forest floor to regenerate naturally with native trees and undergrowth; That it looks so bare right now is largely because the laurel has already suffocated everything at ground level.

The process will ensure the survival of the Ancient Woodland for future generations, ultimately increasing the diversity of woodland habitat and species.

The majority of the feedback we’ve had has been resoundingly positive, but we appreciate the loss of familiar thickets will upset some people. Please be assured that KWAG are working to a brief defined by the Forestry Commission, and supported by Bristol City Council, and that the work is designed to save Penpole Wood from permanent decay, not to damage it.

You can read more about Bristol’s Biodiversity Action Plan for woodlands, and the benefits of re-opening the forest floor to native growth here:
https://www.bristol.gov.uk/…/369f1561-116b-40d0-8cf9-50eaa6…