Saturday 16 February 2008

Venerable trees

I love these ancient beech pollards. They have such wonderful characters.



Imagine seeing this Gryphon shape in the half-light or the moonlight! Like something from a Thomas Bewick engraving . .

As for "Knobby" well Nature has the truth, Art doesn't

The reason these beech are like this is because they were regularly pollarded by "the commoners" till 1874 or whatever when The Corporation of the City of London "rescued" the forest for the people from the encroachments and enclosures by wealthy landowners.
"Well done" . . . BUT . . . they then stopped all lopping rights ! Now you can't even take one log without being liable to prosecution.
Sometimes I do liberate odd bits I find. Today I saw loads of fresh-cut beech, oak, hornbeam and willow. But it's supposed to be left for some rare click-beetle they've found or "habitat" piles. Isn't man part of the equation? - haven't we always interacted with the woodlands and forests? Modern management is very unnatural and frustrating.

www.treewright.co.uk

2 comments:

Robin Wood said...

I can just see you sat there in the woods...shame there was not a kettle. Amazing to see the wildness you can find close to London if you just get off the beaten track.

What do you think of lighting fires in the woods like this? do you think there is a danger it may encourage chavs to do the same? but without the respect for the environment.

Robin Fawcett said...

What do you mean - I AM a chav !