Early Management
Spring 1994
A Hundred Hazels
In Digby’s Dell we expected to find many hazel trees but there were only a very few alongside the brook. Foresters will be surprised that we did not coppice them in the traditional way, but allowed them to grow on in the hope that they will flower and fruit, thus providing much needed food for any remnant dormouse population. However, it was decided that this dell should support a much larger number of hazels and about one hundred two-year old trees were planted by our volunteers. At the time of writing, all have taken and we expect 90% to survive.
Keith’s Glade
A small glade has been created by our Tuesday team of working volunteers (sometimes referred to as the grey-greenies) at the point where Wilkins Path crosses Miles Brook. When the Essex Water Company vent one of their covered reservoirs for cleaning there is a considerable flow of water here and it has always been a bit hazardous to walkers. By opening out a glade, ground flora will be encouraged to give cover to emerging amphibians. Also to assist them we have dug Peter’s Pool in the marshy area upstream of the new bridge. Gerry’s Bridge will be an impressive construction made from 40-year old Chestnut growing nearby, which were at their optimum growth for use as timber and were no longer of any benefit to wildlife.
Autumn 1994
Codger’s Crossing — the longest rustic bridge in Essex?
Most visitors to Pound Wood have admired the bridge where Wilkins Path crosses Miles Brook, now christened Codger’s Crossing by the mostly retired work party. At 34' long (they’re not into metric yet!) it is claimed as the longest single-span bridge, made from local materials, in the county.
Miles Brook is hardly a raging torrent at this point, even when in use as the route for discharging the Oakwood covered reservoirs, but the bridge does enable visitors to avoid a steep and muddy slope in wet weather.
Keith’s Glade
Codger’s crossing is in this small area of new coppice which will be extended slightly in the coming season. The brash from this work has not been burned and has formed a delightfully dense area to the north of the path, for nesting birds and other creatures needing a secure home. This is part of the management contract agreed with the Forest Agency. Peter’s Pond in the same area was breached several times by unknown parties and the frog spawn in it was lost. It is planned as a marshy area, holding water only in the winter/spring.
SEEVIC Span
Our thanks to the students of the South East Essex Sixth-Form College, ten of whom came to Pound Wood during the week 6th–10th June. During the week, they weeded Digby’s Dell of brambles, a vital but not very rewarding job, cleared the southern boundary of invasive sycamore and laurel, fenced part of the northern boundary against motor-cycles and constructed SEEVIC Span, a small bridge crossing the muddy area where Hall’s Brook crosses Thompson’s Path.
January 1995
Codgers Crossing
Our 34-foot bridge at Digby’s Dell is featured in the Winter 1994 edition of Natural World, the house magazine of the Wildlife Trusts. With a print run of some 200,000 copies, a colour picture is really quite a scoop.
We have also entered the project into the Essex County Council’s Essex Amenity Awards Scheme, to be judged in the Spring. With coverage in two local papers, Ford News, and Essex Wildlife, this construction is our best-publicised project so far.
Rowleys Gate
In response to requests from ramblers and local people, we opened up a gap in the northern boundary of the wood (known as Rowleys gate) opposite the point where the public footpath meets our boundary. Unfortunately the owner of the neighbouring meadows does not wish the public to have access to his property at this point, and has created a barrier there on his side of the ditch. Whilst this is a disappointment, we advise you that he is within his right to deny this access and must remind you that to break through is trespass.
Spring 1995
Winter work-parties in Little Valley
Some 18 volunteers every other Sunday and a further 10 every Tuesday, completed the re-coppicing of a little over an acre of Little Valley this winter. This yielded a remarkable 17 cords of cordwood, the sale of which will be used to create hardstanding for vehicles just inside the Tile Wood entrance. Hopefully, this will reduce the nuisance of car parking by volunteers in the local residential roads.
We are confident that regeneration from the existing coppice stools will prove sufficient and that, within a year or two, the effects of the work will have mellowed. There are fewer tree species in this area than in last year’s coppice area at Digby’s Dell, but then it is over 40 years since the area was last coppiced. We will monitor regeneration and replant if necessary.
Mature sweet chestnut trees are not normally left to grow on in a nature reserve for they are of limited value to wildlife. But we have left one enormous clump because we are told they yield the best edible chestnuts — not only for the wildlife but for the people too! The other chestnut timber will be used to construct a walkway over Hunford Brook within Little Valley, and for saleable produce.
Power Cables
On 10th April, Eastern Electricity commenced the replacement of the four wires along the southern edge of the wood with a single strand, insulated with PVC. The necessary clearance is being done at the same time with the branches being shredded and sprayed into the wood. The route of the 33 KV pylons through the main part of the reserve will also be coppiced this year, for safety reasons.
Autumn 1995
Essex Amenity Award Scheme
We submitted information on our bridge in Pound Wood called “Codger’s Crossing” and we are pleased to advise that we were awarded joint first prize. Assistant warden Gerry Bullock master-minded the project and the submission, and has therefore been selected to receive the prize on our behalf. £100 will be added to our management fund. Well done everyone.
Only slightly less impressive is the new bridge on Short’s Cut in Little Valley. Named “Debbie’s Bridge” after the most enthusiastic of our lady volunteers, Debbie Vautier, the bridge was opened in June. (There is a rumour that if any two of the men can’t manage a task between them, they ask Debbie to do it!)
The Bridge of the other St Michael
Students working with Marks & Spencer spent a day in Pound Wood in April and built a little crossing over the brook near Shaw’s Dam. Well done.
May 1996
A Bridge Too Long
Our Thanks go to the National Westminster Bank in Hadleigh who have come up with funds for tools and equipment to build the boardwalk (it is too long to be called a bridge) and steps on Bluebell Path in Pound Wood. The spot has been notoriously muddy for years yet, ironically, it is not even damp at present.
Autumn 1996
The winter coppice in Gunpowder Plot is regenerating well and most of the cord-wood is sold.
Eastern Electricity will be coppicing beneath the power lines in November. The NatWest Boardwalk was opened in May. The Nature Trail has been re-designed and the trail guide will be reprinted alongside that for Little Haven in time for next Summer. Digby’s Dell has a fine show of Foxgloves for the first time. Almost all the new Hazel trees have survived the summer.
January 1997
Coppicing Commences at Rowleys
Named after a benefactor, this area against the northern boundary of Pound Wood is our fourth winter work site. Now that people can see the benefits of coppicing by noting the improvement elsewhere, there are few who do not welcome the continuation of this traditional practice. But remember, the plan is only to manage up to half of the wood in this way.
Spring 1999
Coppicing progress in Pound Wood
The Essex Wildlife Trust has owned Pound Wood for just over six years and about 8 of the 55 acres have been coppiced to date. The map below shows the locations and dates of coppice management. Each year we give a name to the plot. This year it is called “Back Acre” because the slope was a “back-ach-er” to work on! Map Key:
Area A (1993–4) Digby’s Dell
Area B (1994–5) Little Valley
Area C (1995–6) Gunpowder Plot
Area D (1996–7) Rowleys
Area E (1997–8) Topleys
Area F (1998–9) Back Acre
Spring 2000
New Fencing
Thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund we have been able to renew old fencing at Little Haven. This will allow cattle to graze some of our meadows and improve the grassland.