Friday 28 August 2015

Introducing the Corehead shelter project

Last year we started discussing plans for an education building at Corehead. The aim was to create a small space that groups could use year round in all weather conditions and that would be built in a sympathetic way in the landscape. One of our CBSG members Paul Short runs locals woodland management company Treesurv and they put together some plans for a log cabin to be built using larch from one of our shelter belts.

We believe that Corehead is a great educational resource and so at BFT we have been working hard over the last year to figure out how we can make the building a reality. We have been facing quite a number of challenges along the way (how to finance the building to begin with!) but we are delighted to report that things are going ahead.

We are using larch from one of the shelter belts near to our Tweedhope plantation. Our contractors Treesurv went in earlier this year to mark out any suitable stems. There is a lot of wood in the shelterbelt but it soon became clear that very little of it is actually suitable for what we want to do and even less is extractable! The trees are mostly planted on very steep slopes above a small burn and to even get to the area is a challenge!
 
Treesurvs Doug, James and Sandra
 
We started the felling a few weeks back. James, Doug and Sandra from Treesurv did a superb job in felling and measuring up all the wood - it looked like a bit like a Jenga game gone wrong in there.
 
 
 
James and Doug were real experts on the chainsaws
 
Sandra climbing on top of the trees measuring lengths
And even we popped along to help.
 
Showing we at BFT can get stuck in as well!
And we found a few of these chaps. Proper IDs welcomed but we thought some type of wood wasp?
 
Once most of the wood was felled, Jake came in with his tractor and the extraction started.
 
Loading the wood on to the timber trailer
 
James measuring up
and then cutting to length
 
James cutting up the brash
And even our own volunteers get stuck in to help the tidy up
It is a very tricky route up to the shelter belt and the ground gets steeper the higher you go. Add in a wet summer and waterlogged conditions and it makes it even tougher. But Jake did a great job in getting the timber down where it is now stored.
 
The logs are ready!
 
Unfortunately we aren't able to start the next stage until we can find some more funding. If anyone would like to support this project or can give pointers as to where we may source more income/grant funding then please do get in touch to corehead@bordersforesttrust.org.
 
Lynn
Site Officer

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