On Wed 6th November GWCP had its annual tree inspection. We met Paul (Waveney Norse Arboricultural Manager) in Gunton Church Lane and walked through Gunton Wood, the green belt alongside Gainsborough Drive and then Foxburrow.
There was probably extra to sort out this year because of the gales on Oct 28th. In Gunton Wood there were a few problems too big for GWCP to manage, like the large Oak branch hanging over the main footpath, these will be picked up by Waveney Norse. GWCP have a few bits to sort out, the obvious Willows damaged in the storm, a Sycamore, a dead Elm and a Hawthorn overhanging a garden.
In the green space alongside Gainsborough Drive there is a fallen Elm that will be left, an uprooted tree that GWCP will remove and replace. An Ash tree near the footpath at the end of Gainsborough has one of it's three main branches split but Paul advised that in removing that branch the tree would be too lopsided and would fall, so all three main branches need to be removed. A replacement tree will be planted nearby.
In Foxburrow again there were a few bits too big for GWCP to manage and WN will pick these up, GWCP have dead Birch, an Elm, a dead London Plane and an Oak branch to remove plus thin out some self-seeded small oaks at the Gunton Church Lane gate.
At the end of the inspection I asked Paul how he thought the woods were doing, he thought they were doing excellently and we were doing an excellent job of managing them! Minimal intervention seemed to be Paul's way, where possible leaving trees to fall naturally providing there was no danger and to leave some of the falling wood to rot - this will please many GWCP members!