Hairyloon
|
Horse Logging Demonstration: Sheffield. | Quote: | Open day this Saturday 14 Jan from 10am-2pm, Woolley Woods (access from car park near playground on Ecclesfield Road)
Essential woodland management is being undertaken at Woolley Wood this week as part of the City Council's 'Woodland Improvement for Birds project' funded by the Forestry Commission and supported by the RSPB.
Woolley Wood is an important area of ancient woodland within Shiregreen & Low Wincobank which is well known for it's attractive display of bluebells and other wild flowers each spring.
Over the last 25 years within the UK woodland bird populations, on average, have fallen by 20 per cent in the last 25 years. Within Woolley Wood , areas of young oak & hornbeam are being thinned in Woolley Wood to improve areas for wildlife and increase diversity within the woodland, making the woodlands more attractive for wildlife.
Traditional methods for extracting the timber using Clydesdale 'Heavy' Horses will be employed in Woolley Wood, allowing for highly selective management of the woodlands, carefully extracting timber without causing any damage to the standing trees, minimising damage to the soil, or causing damage or disturbance to the important flora and fauna and archaeological ground features.
Members of the public will be able to see this traditional English skill being demonstrated on site by Green Estate Ltd using two Clydesdale Horses. The Clydesdale is a very old breed of working horse derived from the farms of Clydesdale, Scotland and is today considered a 'Rare Breed'. It was originally used for agriculture and heavy hauling. Today, Clydesdales are still used for draught purposes, including agriculture, logging and driving.
An open day will be held this Saturday 14 January between 10am and 2pm at Woolley Woods, to enable members of the public to see this traditional English skill being used and to meet the horses. Access to Woolley Wood is from the car park off Ecclesfield Road next to the playground. Follow the main Trans Pennine Trail into the woodland.
The timber extracted from the woodland as part of this project will be used to heat biomass boilers in schools throughout Sheffield by Silvapower Ltd.
Further information on Woolley Wood, including a site leaflet can be found on Sheffield City Council Website. Alternatively contact the City Council Woodlands team on Tel: 2500500 |
|
