Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Potterland Wood

About two years ago, the stands of Corsican Pine, Larch, and Sitka Spruce on Potterland Hill were clear felled, leaving the steep slopes and top of the hill bare with a fringe of older Scots Pines.
At least that's what one sees from the main A711 road between Palnackie and Auchencairn... But coming down the glen from Gelston, the hill appears still clothed on its Northwest face, and what is more important, clothed with native broadleaf trees. (NOTE: Map on left rotated to face Southeast to match photo - click to enlarge) Potterland Wood appears as woodland (probably managed) on the earliest maps, and if one takes the time to explore this remnant, one finds hazel coppice stools of considerable age along with many undergrowth species indicative of continuous woodland cover. There are also tubed trees, planted more than ten years ago.   Many are oak, and some (unbelievably!) are sycamore.   Happily, most of the oaks have done well and many of the sycamores haven't. Everything else, aside from the odd conifer belongs here, but the sycamores beg for removal.   There are very few large older timber trees, but a few oaks have come back from stumps, presumably from the time an attempt was made to "coniferise" this "obsolete" coppice area in the misguided sixties.  Fortunately, the Old Wood's life force prevailed.   The area is rich in fungi as well.
Moving out into the recently felled area, there is a good amount of natural regeneration, and the Foresters have left a good few seed trees standing.   I hope this is the intent, as these areas should be allowed to return to mostly native forest.
On a brief descent of the steep Southwestern slope, I noted seedlings of hazel, beech, hawthorn, oak, ash, holly, elm, birch, rowan, hemlock, and Norway spruce.   Also left standing are several dead "perch" trees for owls or raptors. All in all, a rather fine prospect as a neighbour for Taliesin!   I'd be happy to lead a guided walk and fungus foray during the October gathering.  Stout footwear (and walking-stick) advised, and we'll make sure to choose suitable weather! More pictures from my recent stroll are here And here for some of the understory plant life... And here for some of the Historical context of the area...

6 comments:

suzihussein22 said...

Slainte! Happy New Year!

We have been able to save some woodland in TN-

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100106/NEWS0202/1060382/1001/NEWS/Old-growth-forest-in-Nashville-saved

ed iglehart said...

Suzi,

BRILLIANT! Congratulations! And it looks like a fairly large chunk of land too. I think you might let Wendell Berry know. I'm sure he'll be glad to hear of it if he hasn't already

Wendell Berry
Lanes Landing
Port Royal
Kentucky

will get there.

This is GOOD NEWS! We're locked in iron frost here:

And without a single Human soul in sight!

http://picasaweb.google.com/tipiglen/TaliesinInWinter#slideshow/
and
http://picasaweb.google.com/tipiglen/NorthGlenWinter#slideshow/

Snowscenes are kinda like baby pictures - sorta all the same, except....

Peace and winter greetings
ed

suzihussein22 said...

I wondered if winter would cut you off some. We finally got enough snow here to sled after about 11 years! My daughter kept exclaiming about it until it dawned on me that she'd never really seen more than a flurry. I've seen almost a foot. Some of our fellow posters have gotten more than 2 ft.!

I was looking at celtic symbols on jewelry and then I noticed this in our state news-

http://tinyurl.com/ycb95bk

We'll be having snow most of the week so I won't be trying to get to that one. Most drivers around here can't handle the sight of snowflakes, so it's just not worth the risk of navigating the interstates.

I really didn't expect you to notice my comment that fast, so I'll go look up Wendell Berry now. That name sounds familiar.

Woohoo, I just found an extremely important Gaelic word-teĆ²claid!

Peace and safe "hibernating"

ed iglehart said...

Hi Suzi,

I get an email when a comment is posted, thus the rapid notice. Glad y'all have had a bit of the white stuff. All gone here long since, but cool weather continues.

Sunny this past weekend as we got into the coppice at Potterland Hill - photos here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/stillyet/Coppicing13th14thFebruary2010

Cherish The Ladies are great!
Chocolate, indeed!

I do hope you enjoy Wendell
http://home2.btconnect.com/tipiglen/berry.html

Be well.
Peace and Slainte
ed

Ray said...

Hey Ed !
Maybe we'll get an Indian summer over the autumn fest period ..least that's what 'Trevor with the weather said on my cathrode ray tube last night.

Explained to Jools my transport wheezed off of the road & packed up this morning.
So gonna have to use a stagecoach approach to Castle Douglas. Apparently I can catch a lift with Godfrey.

Have to travel light so no whiskey jar, but am packin' a wee hip flask which i got fer me birthday-just...yahoo!..Hope to catch up with you real soon at Taliesin :0)

Ray said...

Hey Ed !
Maybe we'll get an Indian summer over the autumn fest period ..least that's what 'Trevor with the weather said on my cathrode ray tube last night.

Explained to Jools my transport wheezed off of the road & packed up this morning.
So gonna have to use a stagecoach approach to Castle Douglas. Apparently I can catch a lift with Godfrey.

Have to travel light so no whiskey jar, but am packin' a wee hip flask which i got fer me birthday-just...yahoo!..Hope to catch up with you real soon at Taliesin :0)