Events in 2012
Conventional wisdom holds that the first year of woodland ownership should be spent observing, listening and researching. That turned out to be the case. In retrospect it might have been good to have made early progress on removal of gaultheria, because in the intervening time it has spread substantially in sub compartments Com 1 and Com 2. But in those early days it was difficult to know where the priorities lay.
05 December Completed RLE1 form returned to Rural Payments Agency.
Early attempt to repair rain-eroded footpath FP218 (May 2012).
13 November Start of removal of rhododendron along northeast boundary.
Oct - Nov Registration as customer with Rural Payments Agency. This enables application for any grants that might be available, though in practice the fact that Sable Wood is less than 3ha in area tends to make it ineligible for government support.
11-12 October BAC completes LANTRA chainsaw cross-cut and maintenance course, Kennet and Thames Training, Watlington.
11 October Management plan begun using Sylva Myforest web tool.
01 August Visit to Sable Wood by Sean Harrison, Woodlands Adviser, Surrey County Council. Noel Moss, Bourne Conservation Group, in attendance.
Jun Renewal of public liability insurance.
14 May Visit to Sable Wood by Frances Halstead of the Greenspace Team, Surrey Wildlife Trust. Noel Moss, Bourne Conservation Group, in attendance.
Frances Halstead (SWT) and Noel Moss (BCG) visit Sable Wood (May 2012).
Apr-May Initial and incomplete attempts to repair erosion damage on footpath on eastern boundary. The repair of this particular footpath was not completed for a further two years, during which time the technique for repair evolved and improved.
16 April Tour of wood with Noel Moss of the Bourne Conservation Group. The BCG have become strong allies in the management of Sable Wood, providing advice, manual labour, encouragement and connections to a range of experts.