A community website from WCRA - the Westfield Common Residents' Association - based in Westfield, Woking, UK

Pollarding – An ancient art

the WCRA Editor — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:42:43 +0000

A guest article by Thibaud Madelin
Triggs Lengthperson, National Trust, River Wey & Godalming Navigations

Picture from early 20th Century showing pollards just upstream of Triggs Lock Cottage. Those were gone by the 60s and reinstated in 2011.

There are 57 trees in a pollarding rotation along my length. Some of them have been planted this year and others have stood for over a 100 years. So why are those trees being pollarded?

Pollarding basically means coppicing at head height, to protect regrowth from grazing animals such as cattle or sheep. There are broadly two types of places where you can find pollarded trees. Traditional wood pastures, such as the National Trust’sHatfieldForest, where cattle graze amongst old pollarded trees such as Beech, Oak and Hornbeam, and river sides, where you often find pollarded Willows or Poplars, such as the River Wey Navigations.

Pictures from the late 70s/80s showing the pollards just planted as branches on the right.

First and foremost, pollarding trees doesn’t damage them, in fact quite the opposite. Done properly, pollarding extends the life of the trees, traditionally providing a sustainable supply of firewood or fodder (pollarded Ash and Birch in particular) and shade for livestock or weaving material in the case of willow. Beech and Oak were traditionally cut every 10 to 15 years and many of those trees remain standing and alive today thanks to that practice. The Willows along the navigations are cut on a 3-year rotation due to their astounding rate of regrowth.

Today we do not primarly pollard trees to collect firewood or fodder but to maintain the historic management of the navigations as well as creating valuable habitats for wildlife.

Pollarding in action along Triggs Lock

Pollards can live longer that trees that haven’t been pollarded. As a result, as they age they develop hollow, rotten stems, loose bark, sap runs and depressions where water collects. This is turns provide a myriad of opportunities for insects, animals, plants and fungi to thrive as well as the bird life that depend on them.

The pollarded Willows along Papercourt Lock are a prime example of this. Have a close look at the trunk and you’ll see aerial roots, decaying wood, holes and crevasses and yet the trees continue to shoot up at the same rate than those along the Triggs mooring line, which are probably three to four times younger!

The current rotation program along the length also takes into consideration the necessity to retain trees at varying stage of growth so each group of trees is cut over three years, meaning that at any one time you have group of trees at three different stages of regrowth.

Pollarding in Action along Triggs mooring line.

If we didn’t continue to pollard those trees, the weight of the regrowth would soon topple the trees over, killing them in the process. Willows, in particular, are inherently designed to grow until they can fall and reshoot upwards from their laid main stem so the work is critical to maintaining the trees as living ecosystems.

Last year we used cuttings from pollarding to plant three new pollards above Triggs Lock Cottage. We made the decision after studying old pictures that showed a line of pollard in that location that had since disappeared. Having this variety of tree ages at different stages of pollarding rotation all along the length allows wildlife to make the most of this resource as well as demonstrates the healthiness of the process and the positive impact it has one the trees themselves. It may sound counterintuitive but the trees like nothing more than a short haircut during the winter! It also emphasize the historic and industrial heritage of the navigations. When a pollard dies, either due to age of other reasons, we always replace it. They are an integral part of a working waterways, a fantastic natural resource and when looked at closely, they provide an amazing diversity of life, from beetles to birds through to bats and fungi.

About our Guest

Thibaud Madelin is the lengthperson for the National Trust River Wey and Godalming Navigations, based at Triggs Lock, Sutton Green. He looks after the section of river between Bowers Lock and Papercourt Lock and controls the flood alleviation weir structure at Broadoaks, in the Sutton Place Estate.

Contact details: thibaud.madelin@nationaltrust.org.uk
Navigations Office: riverwey@nationaltrust.org.uk
01483 561 389

Pollarding of Conker Tree

Press release from WCRA & Surrey Wildlife Trust

the WCRA Editor — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:23:48 +0000

Latest Newsletter from WCRA – Dec 2011

the WCRA Editor — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:46:37 +0000

Even as I type the print edition of the WCRA (winter 2011) newsletter is being distributed by our army of volunteers.

For those of you to who prefer it electronically it can be downloaded from here.

: Title: WCRA Newsletter - December 2011
File: WCRA-Newsletter-December-2011.pdf
Size: 622 kB

Enjoy.

Xmas Holly Event

the WCRA Editor — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:02:24 +0000

Westfield Common, Woking, Sunday 11th December, 11am

If you want to get a little bit festive and make a difference at the same time – Come and join in our Holly Event at Westfield Common

We’ll be thinning the holly on a site using hand tools and then making some festive wreaths with the cuttings which are free for you to take home.

Meet at the corner of Rose Bank Cottages and Moor Lane at 11.00am

Bring suitable outdoor clothes and a packed lunch

You’ll need: lunch (depending on how long you’re staying), sturdy footwear and clothes suitable for the outdoors. If you’ve got a thick pair of work gloves bring them too!

We’ll supply all the tools and training as well as hot drinks, biscuits and crafty bits n bobs to embellish the wreaths.

Under 16s very welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information call Frances Halstead on 07891 514574

Woking Front Garden of the Year c.1980

the WCRA Editor — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:39:27 +0000

Greenstede, Moor Lane.

Winner of the Best Front Garden in Woking.

Kindly donated by Lynn Corbet daughter of the owners at that time, Bob and Joyce Heywood.

Big Tidy Up 2 – A grand success!

the WCRA Editor — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:17:22 +0000

A big thank you to all of the volunteers who helped tidy Westfield Common and woodlands from rubbish and flytipping.

The event was a grand success despite the unusually hot and sunny weather.

40 volunteers turned out helping to remove 30 bags of general rubbish and well as 20 bags of recyclables.

A press release from Surrey Wildlife Trust, the co-organisers with WCRA is attached below for your interest.

Press Release Westfield Tidyup 2nd oct 2011

Objection letter re: Local development framework strategy

the WCRA Editor — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:06:41 +0000

Woking Borough Council (WBC) have been running a consultation on their draft strategy Local Development Framework (LDF) otherwise known as Woking 2027. The LDF (once formally adopted) will replace the previous system of Regional Planning Guidance, Structure Plans and Local Plans.

WCRA submitted a submission to WBC regarding this as we were particularly concerned regarding the following matters:

Previously saved local plan policies regarding housing development were being ignored,
The lack of recognition that Westfield Common was a special place worthy of holistic management,
Protection of the Greenbelt
Flooding

A copy of our submission letter is attached for reference.

WCRA – Woking 2027 Consultation final 22 September

Moor Lane Pond Clean-up

the WCRA Editor — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:42:06 +0000

Time to get down and dirty with WCRA and Surrey Wildlife Trust. We are going to start up a clean-up of the Moor Lane pond to make it fit for wildlife and nature. Join us if you can (times to be confirmed).

Update: Unfortunately this event had to be cancelled as Woking Borough Council refused permission for SWT to access the land in question.

Mushroom Forage – 15 / 16th October

the WCRA Editor — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:35:20 +0000

We are looking into the possibility of a Mushroom Forage on the 15th / 16th October. Details to follow….

No related posts.

Big Tidy Up 2

the WCRA Editor — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 18:29:40 +0000

Following the success of our last Big Tidy up we will be hosting another community litter clean-up in partnership with Surrey Wildlife Trust.

The clean-up will take place on Sunday 02 October 2011 and will run from 11AM to 3PM.

As before Surrey Wildlife Trust will provide safety and cleaning equipment and tea and biscuits. They will set-up their gazebo on Westfield Common next to the Childrens play area at Balfour Avenue. Please join us at 11:00 for the initial registration.

If you are unable to join us for the full event then please spare whatever time you have as all help will be appreciated.

SWT will also be running a free activity for children from 1PM.

I look forward to seeing you there.