SILVICULTURE IN AUGUST

It is the time of year for some serious work with a chainsaw. Our house is next to a wood, the first part of which is on our property. The whole wood is a conservation area, which means we are allowed to prune and trim within it, but not to go completely amok. The problem is that the wood itself does not understand words like conservation area, boundary or demarcation, and so steadily advances towards the house in the form of fast-growing sycamore trees.

Hence the need for defence in the form of my trusty Husqvarna. Having put in a brand new chain, I have this week cut the wood back to where it was when we arrived in 2002. Any thin trees or branches are dumped on the compost heap as a way of putting pressure on the Mole Army. Thicker stems (the rule of thumb is wider than a man's arm) are set to one side for future chopping and use in the wood-fired stove. When the ground is fully cleared, I will set up my wife's brand-new wooden washing line contraption, which will make her happy.

Most people around here tend to do their chainsaw work in deepest winter. I do some then as well. But I also tend to have a go in summer, since it is easier to pick out the trees that take the most light, when they are in full bloom.

I like messing around with trees. Cutting away so that the bigger trees get more light and room to grow. Right beside the house is a huge beech tree, which must be more than 300 years old. That's a serious tree.

Walter Blotscher