Trees, leaves, fruits and seeds!!

It was good to be back at Saltwells NNR and we started back where we had finished before the summer break, in the tree nursery. The group were asked to collect acorns and haws, so they used the fruits and seeds iDials from the Woodland Trust to identify them, they later processed them at college. Processing the Haw seeds was a bit messy as we had to take the fleshy fruit from around the seeds and then the group tested the acorns for quality, which involves putting them in water to see if they float or sink. Both groups helped to sow the seeds and in addition we also did some wild service and sweet chestnut, which are now all in the tree nursery. The wardens and The friends of Saltwells have been constructing a green woodwork area and the groups have been laying wood chip around the peeling jig and brace. The students all got to have a go of peeling bark from an ash tree using a tool called a draw and I got to split the log on the brace, it was awesome and thanks to Les and Kate for their help! All the wood will be used to make a fence around the woodwork area. The groups have both worked on habitat maintenance in the last few weeks, first at Razza bank cutting back the brambles to maintain the grasslands and then down in Doultons clay pit where we cut back the scrub and willow. The willow draws moisture out of the soil and Doultons clay pit is a wet meadow land which attracts dragonflies, water voles and all sorts of amphibians so its important for the survival of many species. Seeing Saltwells slowly wandering into Autumn with its many colours is beautiful!