See Griffin Wood’s new sculptures take shape before your eyes!
Griffin Wood comes to town on Saturday 13th March 2010 with a free carnival of wild crafts in Four Acre.
Families attending the ‘Wood Works’ festival at the Leaf Centre (formerly Chester Lane Community Centre) on Four Acre Lane will see five of the region’s top chainsaw sculptors in action and be able to try a range of activities, from apple pressing to creating garden planters and bird boxes.
Helen Collins of organisers The Mersey Forest said: “This festival is all about bringing something a little different right to people’s doorsteps. The wood sculptures that are created will be installed at nearby Griffin Wood – so not only will it be a great day, it’ll also provide lasting art for the whole community to enjoy.”
The event kicks off at 10.30am outside the Centre with a speed chainsaw carving competition between the five sculptors. Over the course of the morning, members of the public can then suggest ideas for the main pieces to be made during the afternoon and see their suggestions brought to life.
Guests are encouraged to bring a pair of sunglasses if they are sensitive to sawdust.
Indoors there will also be a wide range of stalls and activities throughout the day until 4pm for children and adults, provided by organisations including Groundwork, Cycling Projects, Red Rose Forest, BTCV and Forestry Commission.
Un-earthing Clock Face’s roots – we need you!
Do you know your history or have a story to tell? We are hoping to discover more about the history of Clock Face and Bold for a new project at the woodland, and are appealing to all those ‘in the know’ to help in our quest.
A drop-in session is being held on Thursday 21st January 2010 at the cafe/reception area of the Leaf Centre (formerly Chester Lane Community Centre) from 4.30pm until 7pm, where we’d be really interested in meeting you to look at your old photos or newspapers, uncover stories of the area or learn about your family history in and around Clock Face and Bold.
People are invited to pop in for as long as they wish, be it a flying visit or a longer chat. For those unable to attend there will also be another event held in February half-term, or you can add a comment to this blog or contact Helen Collins at The Mersey Forest Offices on 01925 816217.
We hope to unearth enough information to potentially create a new guided walk with leaflets and interpretation boards around Griffin Wood, and also of course plan to feature the findings on this website.
A little light pruning
Before the snow brought the country to a halt we had some clearing up to do down at Griffin Wood.
As we learned to handle the tools of the trade we brought some much needed rejuvenation to some of the trees in the mature part of the woodland.
Working back towards the trunk of long branches we trimmed some of the lowest. It was hot work, even on a cold December afternoon!
Having fun in the woods
We ended up with a pile of logs and twigs that provide the perfect habitat for a huge variety of insects and small mammals. Which reminded us to head out and check on the hedgerow boxes.
Is there anybody home?
There didn’t appear to be any takers for our natural hotels but they looked secure and ready for habitation. The boxes are on the margins of the newly planted area in mature hedgerows so we’re expecting some residents soon.
Some of the younger trees needed their “belts” fastening more securely in the replanted areas. But now every one of them is flexibly firm and ready to put on some good growth come the warm weather in Spring.
Getting a better grip!
We’ve had a great time in the woods in 2009 and we’d like to wish you all a wonderful outdoorsy 2010!
If you want to know more about selecting, planting or caring for trees, check out the Mersey Forest How To guide…
Next meeting
Hot on the heels of the Christmas decoration making session on 9th Dec, The Friends of Griffin Wood’s next meeting will be on Thurs 15th Jan 2010 at 7pm at the Leaf Centre (a.k.a. Chester Lane Community Centre). Newcomers welcome.
Get ready for Christmas
It always seems like a mad dash to get everything ready in time for Christmas Day, presents to buy and wrap, decorations to organise and put up, food to prepare and cook, dressing the tree. How we get time for it all I’ll never know!
Perfect for making into Christmas decorations
But here’s one way to slow down, take a breather and get something done in time for Christmas, naturally.
We’ve been busy gathering material from Griffin Wood over the last few weeks and it’s nearly time to make them into some natural festive decorations. Using teasels, holly and a variety of other materials you could make this Christmas truly unique!
Join us on Wednesday 9th December from 5pm – 7pm at The Leaf Centre in St Helens and bring a bit of the woods to your Christmas celebrations.
It’s nearly Tree O’Clock!!
It’s Tree O’Clock
If you believe trees are special help us to plant a World Record!
Help us plant a world record!
Celebrating National Tree Week we’re taking part in the Tree O’Clock event on December 5th from 11am – 12pm. How many trees can we plant in one hour?
What’s so special about trees?
Trees are a habitat unto themselves. The oak tree has over 300 species living amongst its branches and leaves; the foliage creating micro-climates and habitats able to support a myriad of insect, arachnid, mammal and bird life.
What's so special about trees?
For Oxygen
Trees are the lungs of the planet. Branches, twigs and leaves spread out like bronchi taking in carbon dioxide (CO”) and giving off oxygen. Ninety-eight percent of the world’s oxygen comes from this process of photosynthesis.
Without trees and other plants “breathing”, humans, literally, couldn’t exist.
For Food
Apples and pears, plums and oranges, lemons, figs, olives, avocados, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, cherries, limes, mangos, bananas, coconuts, pineapples…the list goes on and on and on!
Trees are a major source of food. They provide us with essential life-sustaining nutrients. Many oils used in a variety of ways come from trees.
For Medicine
Many synthetic pharmaceuticals have their roots in the natural compounds in trees. Aspirin is based on a natural substance found in the bark of willow trees. Stong age peoples almost certainly chewed on some willow bark for pain relief.
Many studies have shown that natureal surroundings are also beneficial for healing on other levels. Patients have been shown to heal more quickly when they have access to trees and other plants.
For Resources
Tables and chairs, fuel, window blinds, floors, houses, paper, gates, fences, shingles, cladding, boats, picture frames, stairs, banisters, fruit boxes – how many more can you name? There are so many things made of wood it’s a wonder there are any trees left!
The Forest Stewardship Council helps to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. Their logo is synonymous with sustainably sourced wood. Closer to home, The Mersey Forest is helping groups all over the region transform the landscape and create sustainable habitats.
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It’s Tree O’Clock
If you believe trees are special help us to plant a World Record!
Celebrating National Tree Week we’re taking part in the Tree O’Clock event on December 5th from 11am – 12pm. How many trees can we plant in one hour?
Autumn Update
National Volunteer Week saw a flurry of activity down at Griffin Wood.
Some of the Friends of Griffin Wood planting the willow screen
On Saturday 31st October a group of Friends of Griffin Wood planted a screen of willow as cover behind the bird hide. As this natural screen grows and matures, it will provide the ideal habitat for numerous insects and other animals, allowing us to get that bit closer to life in the wood.
More willow action as 50 cuttings from the adjacent Maypole Wood were planted in the nursery. Planting and replenishing in this way is giving us extra stock, free. We like free.
Getting Ready for Winter
Many small animals are scurrying about, storing food and getting shelters ready. Four hedgerow boxes along the perimeter hedgerows will encourage a thriving habitat for many tiny creatures. Encouraging diversity and increasing habitats becomes more important as our worlds green spaces become further squeezed by developments.
Other tasks that have been completed since September by the Friends’ group include a series of bulb plantings getting ready for Spring next year; weeding the nursery – a laborious but necessary task; applying compost to the trees in the orchard; replacing damaged tree guards; and dealing with any wind damage.
All in all it’s been a busy Autumn at Griffin Wood. But with a little bit of rain, a little bit of sun, a little bit of wind and a spark of magic, come Springtime the wood will be waking up refreshed.
From tiny acorns…
Well, we all know oak trees grow from acorns but at our recent seed collecting event we found out how to test acorns to see if a mighty oak could grow from them.
George Pilkington of Nurturing Nature took us on a guided walk through Griffin Wood to collect seeds from the mature oak, beech, blackthorn and holly.
Collecting seeds in Griffin Wood
Under the shady canopy we got nature under our fingernails searching for seeds. Many of the acorns on the groun were already non-viable, bloated by the wasp grub that had made it its home.
But the ones we did collect we took back to The Leaf Centre and tested them to see if they would grow.
“Right then,” said George, “bring out the buckets.” I wondered what we needed buckets and water for. But George showed us a quick and easy way to test acorns to see if they’ll grow.
We half filled the buckets with water and emptied our seed collected bags into them. The acorns that floated wouldn’t germinate, but the ones that sank had a better chance.
Testing acorn viability
We scooped out the floaters and got the compost ready in the root-training seed trays, ideal for longer roots as the seeds sprout.
We had lots of seeds and it took some time with the floating and scooping but eventually the trays were ready for their first watering.
Planting seeds at The Leaf Centre
A good soaking later we placed lids on the seed trays to keep in the moisture and safely stowed them in the nursery.
Watering the newly planted seeds
It could be some time before anything happens. But when it does these tiny acorns will have a chance of becoming mighty oaks in Griffin Wood.
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Get Involved
If you want to get involved in any of the events down at Griffin Wood, or want to be a part of the Friends’ working party, contact Helen Collins at The Mersey Forest on 01925 816217
September activities
More regular activities are becoming available for local people and visitors to Griffin Wood and everyone is being invited to come along and get involved by joining the Friends group, at the Leaf Centre on Chester Lane from 7pm on Thursday 3rd September 2009.
This is a great opportunity for you and your family to gain free training / to get healthier / to make new friends and if you wish, to take on a role within the committee, to help expand your skills (or just because you want to). You really can do as much or as little as you want!
The Mersey Forest will be offering free training courses for members of the group at Griffin Wood on habitat management (which can be adapted to help improve your garden); species identification and recording and other topics if people show us they are dedicated and interested in attending!
Helen Collins is the new Community Officer at The Mersey Forest, please give her a call on 01925 816217 or email helen.collins@merseyforest.org.uk if you are interested in getting involved.
