SleepyJoe Posted February 11, 2022 Share Posted February 11, 2022 8 hours ago, english zloty said: All in all an expensive mess which massively under-delivered. Well, there you go 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
war baby Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 When I was more able bodied, I climbed up to have a look at the Millennium Wood, intended to be a new oak forest. It's up behind the vehicle test centre if you want to see it. The plan was that school kids would plant a tree and then look after it. Very good... except that most of the saplings had dried out, blasted by the cold winds and died. Against the odds, some had survived and I wonder how they have fared recently. Do we have an oak forest? Or did it go Howard's Way? Does anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two-lane Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 8 minutes ago, war baby said: Do we have an oak forest? Is this the place? https://zoom.earth/#view=54.172341,-4.502117,17z 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 They bussed kids from all the Island's primary schools up there to each plant a tree, I can remember Andy Wint interviewing one or two on air on MR as they got off the bus to go do their duty. Was there ever any nurturing or maintenance programme for the project? Lots of people at the time said it was in the wrong place or the wrong species and it would largely fail? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
war baby Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 Yes, that's the spot. Well done 2. When I went it was clear that the trees had never been looked at since planting. It had not been wet for a while and most had simply expired through lack of moisture. Also, they were planted far too closely. They were oak saplings, yet set about 3 or 4 feet apart. From your picture number 2, it seems a few survived where sheltered from the drying winds by the existing thorn hedges. Maybe another phase of education could now be arranged to demonstrate to the next generation the folly of hastily laid ill thought-out plans and that lack of forward planning is bound to result in failure. Hopefully, lessons would be learned... at long last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 I occasionally go there, it isn't too bad, and the trees that have survived have flourished. I would say it is about 60% covered in trees. Pity you can't get there War Baby, it is quite a nice spot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Mexico Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 47 minutes ago, Gladys said: I occasionally go there, it isn't too bad, and the trees that have survived have flourished. I would say it is about 60% covered in trees. Pity you can't get there War Baby, it is quite a nice spot. Looking at the latest Google Earth image (April 2021): It looks quite a lot less than 60%, and mainly around the edges where existing planting provided shelter. It's clear from the mounds that planting covered nearly all the area except the paths. (Zoom in on Two-lane's zoom link above to see) Oddly enough there must be some maintenance provided otherwise scrub would have taken over the areas where the saplings died, presumably the occasional strim is done to keep it under control. But pretty much a failure if it was meant to produce any sort of wood land 21 years later, rather than a PR event back then.. Not that you'd know from the Government website of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happier diner Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 1 hour ago, war baby said: Yes, that's the spot. Well done 2. When I went it was clear that the trees had never been looked at since planting. It had not been wet for a while and most had simply expired through lack of moisture. Also, they were planted far too closely. They were oak saplings, yet set about 3 or 4 feet apart. From your picture number 2, it seems a few survived where sheltered from the drying winds by the existing thorn hedges. Maybe another phase of education could now be arranged to demonstrate to the next generation the folly of hastily laid ill thought-out plans and that lack of forward planning is bound to result in failure. Hopefully, lessons would be learned... at long last. It's not too bad. They have started mixing in some non Oak trees to thicken some areas. Oak trees are very slow growing of course. To be fair, in time, it will become a nice woodland. It's quite a small area, more popular with dog walkers than Ray Mears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 So there are 6868 thriving trees on the site.... (gets out magnifying glass and pen and paper) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 31 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said: Looking at the latest Google Earth image (April 2021): It looks quite a lot less than 60%, and mainly around the edges where existing planting provided shelter. It's clear from the mounds that planting covered nearly all the area except the paths. (Zoom in on Two-lane's zoom link above to see) Oddly enough there must be some maintenance provided otherwise scrub would have taken over the areas where the saplings died, presumably the occasional strim is done to keep it under control. But pretty much a failure if it was meant to produce any sort of wood land 21 years later, rather than a PR event back then.. Not that you'd know from the Government website of course. On the ground it looks denser than that I have to confess, so yes probably a failure. Still a nice spot, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooly Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 It's been a couple of months since I was last there, but I'm sure I saw a sign from DEFA saying they were going to vw carrying out work and planting new trees. Think there is a bigger car park going in? It's a another popular place for people to take their dogs and not pick the dogs shit up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Voice of Reason Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 2 hours ago, Non-Believer said: They bussed kids from all the Island's primary schools up there to each plant a tree, I can remember Andy Wint interviewing one or two on air on MR as they got off the bus to go do their duty. Was there ever any nurturing or maintenance programme for the project? Lots of people at the time said it was in the wrong place or the wrong species and it would largely fail? Blimey was Andy Wint around at the time? I was a proud parent at the the time and I went with my primary school child . Connie Hook (sp?) from Blue Peter was there. Got the video. The song ” We planted an acorn to make a Millennium wood. blah de blah de blah We hope it would grow as it should “ 22 years later I can’t get that bloody song out of my head!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlo Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 6 minutes ago, The Voice of Reason said: Blimey was Andy Wint around at the time? I was a proud parent at the the time and I went with my primary school child . Connie Hook (sp?) from Blue Peter was there. Got the video. The song ” We planted an acorn to make a Millennium wood. blah de blah de blah We hope it would grow as it should “ 22 years later I can’t get that bloody song out of my head!! You've got that video of Connie too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilp Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 Huq. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted February 12, 2022 Share Posted February 12, 2022 1 hour ago, Gladys said: On the ground it looks denser than that I have to confess, so yes probably a failure. Still a nice spot, though. You can't see the wood for the trees, Glad 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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