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Tree protector spirals in Priory Wood

The red square approximately in the centre indicates the position of a one-tonne sack for collection of the remains of the tree-protector spirals, most of which are now broken into small fragments - these need to be collected.

In some areas of the wood there are still whole protectors on the trees. These are (mainly in the Eastern wood, particularly in areas where there is a lot of ground cover. These areas will be difficult to clear until winter, when the undergrowth has died back.

As this sack (and any other sack) is full the Woodland Trust will be informed so that it will be removed.

If you can supply other sacks please let me know via the contact button at top so that I can add them to the map.

The wood was planted in 1998. In the winter of 2018/2019 the Woodland Trust organised their sub-contractor to remove the spiral plastic tree protectors. In June 2019 the contractor told the Woodland Trust that the job was finished - as far as economically feasible. However after 20 years the spirals were embrittled and many had shattered. Some trees had died - their spirals are part buried. And, to be frank, the contractor did not do a very thorough job!

The western wood is reasonably free of tree spirals, though there are some still left, but there are still lots of small fragments here, particularly near the edges where undergrowth is thickest.

The eastern half of the wood was cleared last and I think the contractors had got weary of the task, so there is still a huge amount of plastic left here. Areas of the wood seem not to have been touched at all so there are many spirals left on trees. But parts of the eastern half have heavy undergrowth so are the most difficult to clear.

Unless we, as volunteers, remove all the remaining spirals and fragments, there it will stay, degrading slowly into ever smaller pieces...

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