A Return to Bransdale: Battling the Tenacious Pine and Larch Saplings

After a hiatus of a few weeks, I find myself once again in Bransdale, volunteering my time to the National Trust. The task at hand is none other than the removal or trimming of young larch and pine saplings that have sprouted up on their own in Bloworth Wood, which was clear-cut a couple of years ago. Surprisingly, back aching work.

The National Trust’s objective is to foster a natural regeneration of mixed broadleaf woodland. However, significant swathes of broadleaf saplings have been deliberately planted and shielded by plastic tree guards. To give the transformation a kick-start. On the lower slopes, we have Willow, Alder, Birch, and Oak, while on the middle to upper slopes, we find Birch, Rowan, Holly, and Oak. But the self-seeded pine and larch are persistent.

Might I seize this opportunity to remind National Trust members that the deadline for voting in the council election is drawing near, precisely on October 28th. Recent reports indicate that the lobbying group known as ‘Restore Trust’ appears to have forged an alliance with the Countryside Alliance in their bid to gain control of the National Trust’s Board of Trustees¹Moores, Charlie. 2023. ‘Restore Trust and Countryside Alliance Aim to Take Control of National Trust Board’, Substack.com (Protect the Wild) <https://protectthewild.substack.com/p/restore-trust-and-countryside-alliance-aim-to-take-control-of-national-trust-board> [accessed 28 September 2023]. They have begun sending out emails that list the five candidates they endorse for your vote. It doesn’t come as a surprise that none other than Nigel Farage has thrown his support behind Restore Trust. Such a revelation should hardly raise an eyebrow, given his close ties to one of the candidates—a longstanding family friend²Moody, Ann. 2023. ‘Once More unto the Breach for the National Trust: Farage Joins the Fray’, Yorkshire Bylines <https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/once-more-unto-the-breach-for-the-national-trust-farage-joins-the-fray/> [accessed 28 September 2023].

For my previous post about Restore Trust see ‘Woke Showdown: National Trust vs. Restore Trust’.

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  Moores, Charlie. 2023. ‘Restore Trust and Countryside Alliance Aim to Take Control of National Trust Board’, Substack.com (Protect the Wild) <https://protectthewild.substack.com/p/restore-trust-and-countryside-alliance-aim-to-take-control-of-national-trust-board> [accessed 28 September 2023]
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  Moody, Ann. 2023. ‘Once More unto the Breach for the National Trust: Farage Joins the Fray’, Yorkshire Bylines <https://yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/home-affairs/once-more-unto-the-breach-for-the-national-trust-farage-joins-the-fray/> [accessed 28 September 2023]