Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2008 | Page 59

COUNTRYSIDE, WILDLIFE & FARMING

in
the
field
february/march
Tony Ridd brings us the best of the Isle of Wight countryside

country characters

back to nature

John 'Jock' Adams - Woodcutter

A countrymans diary

The role of the wood cutter is vital in
good woodland management. It is said
that behind nuclear power, forestry has the
longest term planning of any enterprise.
After leaving the Paratroopers and
travelling the world working on oil rigs,
Jock turned his hand to using a chainsaw.
His first job was to remove some large
oaks behind the Glenturret Distillary just
outside Crieff in his native Scotland.
Since then he has worked all four
countries of the UK with spells
in Germany and even Siberia.
This is where he tells me stories
of building ice bridges across the
lakes capable of taking 30 ton lorries
and heavy forestry equipment. The
lowest temperature recorded was
minus 53 degrees with the highest on
a sunny day reaching minus twenty
three degrees. Here he worked with
Russians, Swedes, Finnish and German
cutters, training them to use modern
forestry machinery and techniques.
Back in Scotland he was cutting and
using a ‘skyline’. This is where lines of
cables are used to extract timber from
within the forest. Trunks are dragged, up
and down slopes and across valleys. This
is potentially one of the most dangerous
and highly skilled forestry operations
there is, with very little space for error.
Since moving South after the ’87 storm
he made his way to the Island some eight
years ago for a three month Forestry
Commission contract. Having worked
in the islands three major forests he now
works in the private sector helping to
manage many small and medium sized
woodlands, using his skill and experience
to the benefit of the Islands countryside.

To me February and March are
the two neighbouring months that
have the most contrast. The first
you tend to be wrapped up like a
Russian Doll against bitter cold
easterly winds. Then only a few
weeks later, in March we can be
working in t-shirts on sunny days.
These are however busy months
for countryside work. Woodland
coppicing needs to be finished
before the birds start nesting,
tree and hedge planting has to be
carried out before the whips start
sprouting and any scrub clearance
completed before ground nesting
animals start their stuff !
With the warmth of the spring
sunshine, many hibernating
animals will wake up for the
first time this year. Snakes
become active and will be seen
sunning themselves in sheltered
spots in an effort to warm
their bodies before hunting.
Some daffodils start flowering
before Christmas, but February
is a more suitable time of year.
Mixed with snowdrops they
provide real encouragement
and suspense for what will be
yet another brilliantly coloured
spectacle in the countryside
and on our landscape.

Island Life - www.isleofwight.net

life

what to look out for
Watering the Birds!
This time of year is
crucial for our wild
birds. Not only do we
have lots of garden
regulars but there is
an influx of foreign
visitors. Food is
always wanted but
when it is freezing, drinking water is hard
to find and many birds perish because of
thirst. Always make sure that there is a
ready supply of clean fresh water available.

Bread & Cheese
There are many ‘first signs of spring’.
Look out for the first leaves on the
Hawthorn hedge. These leaves are
traditionally called ‘Bread and Cheese’
and were eaten by many estate workers
as part of their diet. (Though the leaves
tend to taste more nutty than cheesy!)

Brown Hare
‘Mad as a March hare’
comes from the insane
antics of the Jack Hare
during rutting season.
He will grunt, kick,
buck like a broncho
and has stand up
boxing-matches with his
rivals. Hares live their live entirely
above ground, scrapping a ‘form’, a
small depression in the ground, just big
enough for its body when crouching low.

Snowdrops ?
Associated with
‘Candlemas’ on the 2nd
February, the Snowdrop
brightens up even the
dullest of winter days.
Look for it in woodland
glades, along sunken
lanes, streamside and
churchyards. The flowers
are pleasantly scented.
If you want to plant
some, order them now
as they are best planted ‘in the green’.

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