Well done for finding no.9 on the Hill End habitats trail!
The willow trees in the top field are managed by pollarding. They are cut to harvest the timber and to keep the trees alive. By doing this the trees last for hundreds of years in the landscape.
See the new re-growth and look for insects on the stacks of cut timber.
You now know more about how we pollard on our site. If you want to find out even more, try these websites and links:
- Pollard trees – a brief introduction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AzWf7zPzKY
- How to pollard: https://www.thespruce.com/pollarding-trees-what-it-means-2131100
- Species that can be pollarded and how to manage pollarded trees: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=156
- Maintaining pollards: https://arborlifetreesurgeons.co.uk/tree-services/tree-pollarding/
- Pollarding and its benefits: http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/woodland_manage/coppice2.htm
- Pollarding in the past: https://naturebftb.co.uk/2018/05/23/pollarding/
- Pollarding: https://ptes.org/campaigns/wood-pasture-parkland/wildlife/pollard-trees/
- Deadwood and its importance: https://forestryandland.gov.scot/learn/habitats/woodland/deadwood
- Deadwood for wildlife: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/dead-wood-for-wildlife/
