Search
Close this search box.

They’re Cutting Down My Woods

Willow at the right hand side exploring in the woodland
Willow at the right hand side exploring in the woodland

Well, that’s what I thought first of all, they’re cutting my woods down. But no, my humans have told me that’s not what’s happening – they are only thinning out the woods, and only removing the trees that didn’t originally grow in Scotland (like Sitka spruce and Western Hemlock). I worked something else out – but you’ve not to tell my hu-mum or hu-dad ‘cos they’ll never think of this – there’s new paths so I’ll get new routes to explore.

There is a downside though. As we don’t know where exactly in the woods the machine is going to be, I have to stay on the lead. My hu-mum says it’s because I will only go and supervise and get in the way. Me! Get in the Way! What a cheek! Mind you, she is right about the supervising.

12 years of growth

I sat and wondered why they would want to cut down trees. Then remembered back to when I was a little puppy. My favourite pond looked very different then. There were hardly any trees around it, or bushes. But now, it’s really thick with lots of different plants. It must have been telepathy because my hu-dad looked out a photo he took 12 years ago (a couple of years before I was born) and there was my pond. Oh, it looks so much better now.

Willows favourite pond - photo April 2005
Willows favourite pond - photo April 2005
a big pond in the woodland - photo December 2017
Willows favourite pond - December 2017

New mudbaths

Now shhhh! Don’t tell them what I’m thinking. As you’ll see, my hu-mum took some photos of the tracks and felled logs. What I noticed – there’s new tracks – I’ve even planned a new route in the photos below. Now this is great. These tracks often fill up with water when it rains – and I can spend ages just running back and forth through them, splashing away till my wee heart’s content. And the added bonus – they’re often filled with mud. Whoo hooo. A dogs delight.

Supervising

Just as a bit of interest, have you ever seen one of these tree cutting machines working? This big metal thing clamps itself onto the trunk of the tree, and then slices it off at ground level. Then it tilts the tree until it’s horizontal and runs it back and fore until there’s no branches left. Finally, it feeds lengths of the trunk through and cuts them to the correct length. Then onto the next one. I did ask my hu-mum to take a photo but she said she couldn’t as the big metal thing (she meant the cutting mechanism) was swinging back and fore too much and it would just be a blur. I stood there for ages and ages just looking. See my hu-mum was right, I do like supervising.

Willow and Ian watching tree cutting in the woods
Willow and Ian watching tree cutting in the woods

Regeneration

Once they finish working in the woods it’ll be great, as there will be lots of space, and light. This means that all the little saplings and other bushes will have the space and light they need to grow. I’ve seen that in the other parts of the woods that they’ve cleared over the years. It also means that all the wildlife that I’m used to seeing – the red squirrels, pine martens, and the different deer will have a more natural home too.

Now, I can’t wait until they finish working there as I am desperate to get in exploring.

cut logs lying in the woodland
Cut logs lying in the woodland
cut logs lying in the woodland
Cut logs lying in the woodland

This blog was originally published on:

20 December 2017

and subsequently modified on:  

27 January 2024