The wind and the willows...

You may have noticed that our willow trees at the far end of the Great Broad have been the scene of some exciting action recently.

There has also been some tree work completed on the north side of the Great Broad where you'll see large log piles remaining in situ. These trees were removed to keep the park safe for visitors and allow our paths to remain open the public. The willows, however, are continuing their lives in a different way...

What's happening to the willow trees?

In the photo below, you can see how far the willows were leaning over, and they have been like this for some time. The decision was taken to control and accelerate their gradual decline by winching them over to replicate a wind-blown fall.

Below is a more detailed description of the work from project documents used in planning this Rough Marsh Plantation:

Accelerating the decline of veteran willow trees will improve the structural complexity of this area while protecting the surrounding path infrastructure from sudden tree failure. Up to five veteran willows will be deliberately felled by winch to imitate a wind -blown event, creating a natural barrier to the footpath and a secluded habitat, some trees already in decline will also be ringbarked to create standing deadwood. Management of encroaching young scrub on the wetland areas will complement this action by allowing reed beds to recover.

What will happen to the willows next?

The work may look quite brutal while it is fresh, but the splintered wood will soon evolve into a wonderful new wet willow habitat as nature inevitably takes over. Wood naturally splinters when a tree falls in high winds, so the natural result would be much the same as what we have achieved by lowering them manually by winch.

In the photo below, you can see that you now get an incredible view of the willow's substantial root plate, with the huge tap root still attached. The strength of this tap root is likely to be the reason the willow had not yet fallen of its own accord. What a mighty root!

With the tap root still in place, this willow tree remains a living specimen and will continue its natural journey from its new position closer to the ground.

Do you need permission to carry out works like this?

Yes, we have achieved the relevant planning consent to carry out these works after months of effort and collaboration behind the scenes.

Aerial and ground ecology surveys, including bat surveys, were completed before any trees were worked on. Every project we undertake involves careful consideration, and often specific planning permission, as the park operates on listed parkland.

Great care is taken to do the right thing for the benefit of the land we manage. It is always preferable to let nature do its own thing, but when it is a matter of public safety, we often need to intervene as a preventative measure. This wet willow habitat will allow nature to thrive. Visitors will be able to see the changes over time and spot the wildlife that will take over to enjoy this space.

The photos above show other willows in that area that have been worked on recently. They have all cracked and split in different ways, with roots remaining in the ground in all cases, so they can regenerate and begin to sprout in due course.

The wider project

The Great Broad Regeneration Project encompasses a wider range of works including the passive drainage pipe works previously undertaken to reduce winter flooding, and will include additional phases which will be announced in due course.

Keep an eye on what else we are up to by regularly checking our News page online, or checking our Facebook page.