The Saga Continues
For those who tune in to WCH weekly, you may be aware that we don’t just sell t-shirts. For those new readers, we also quite like to get out in the field (or woodland) and get stuck in with some environmental work, to improve conditions of our very own local area. Alongside Cumbria Woodlands, Lake District National Park and The Coppice Co-op, the WCH team are keen to lend a hand, because it beats staring at Excel spreadsheets or answering emails.
This week, we were asked to bring a team to help with bracken bashing. The team consisted of:
- Kap – Creative & Digital Content Director
- Ellysha – Customer Service and Returns
- Kara – Content Copywriter
- Edd (yours truly) – menswear buyer and chief of newsletter waffle
We’ve done this activity a number of times, so it was go-time as soon as we pulled up to the site. Bracken bashing is exactly what it says on the tin. To break it down though, this is a step-by-step guide to our day.
Step 1. Find stick.
Step 2. Cut stick to length.
Step 3. Risk assessment.
Step 4. Whack the sh*t out of the bracken.
To all those asking ‘Why are you destroying the forest?’ let me explain why this technique helps to improve the conditions of the woodland.
Bracken is thought to be the most common plant in the world and is found on all continents except Antarctica. In the UK, they thrive in woodland. The threat they pose in the woodland is their ability to rapidly colonise areas and outcompete other plants, stunting the growth of other species in the woods. We planted a load of new trees not long back, so if we don’t keep on top of bracken bashing, these new trees stand no chance.
Now the bracken has been controlled, our shrubs should be able to get the light and nutrients they need to grow and develop into some big lads.
