With Dave Dibden

TOTTON U3A

QUESTERS WALK IN THE FOREST WITH DAVE DIBDEN

THURSDAY, 8^th MAY 2014

Thursday morning saw the most persistent rain we had had for a long time and three groups of Questers were booked to walk in the New Forest with Dave Dibden, the coppicer who had given us such an interesting talk last month. The first group suffered the most, with persistent rain, but they still thoroughly enjoyed the visit. The second group had rain to start with but dried out by the end. We were the third group and enjoyed a dry walk, except for a few spots of rain about half way round.

Dave is such an enthusiastic and knowledgeable person and kept us enthralled the whole time we wandered around his domain, which it is hoped will become a trust managed by him in the near future. He explained why coppicing is so important to the wildlife of the Forest, letting the light in and promoting new growth under the trees. The rotation ensures succeeding areas are at a different stage of growth and the hazel can sustain this type of management for many years. Wood harvested from these trees is not wasted and is used for pea and bean sticks, as well as giving Dave ample material for his fertile mind to turn into saleable items, such as delightful pigs and bug boxes.

Charcoal burning is one of the projects Dave is promoting to ensure an income for the trust from the larger wood he harvests. My imagination conjured up the charcoal burners I had seen in my youth, but the new burner will come into the wood on a lorry and is the updated method of producing this valuable material. Apparently many chefs in hotels throughout the Forest use charcoal grills and will appreciate such a local source.

Dave led us through the bluebell woods which now bloom under his care. These were intermingled with white stitchwort and produced a beautiful carpet among the trees. The vegetation along the verges has also been cut back and native flowers now flourish here to encourage the return of many species of butterfly. These were sadly lacking after the rain, but the violets, bugle, bluebells, stitchwort and many other plants were a beautiful sight.

Dave led us on to his latest clearance project. He undertakes this during the winter months of November to February and he stacks the brushwood around the perimeter to deter deer which always manage to get in somehow, especially the Muntjac, which are small and difficult to spot. He then harvests the timber, stacking it and leaving the tree stumps to generate new growth, which we could already see.

Our walk lasted about 1½ hours and we learned so much on our ramble - how to identify some of the trees and flowers, why conservation is so important for our wildlife and how satisfying it is for someone to be doing what he loves best, working in the Forest.  

Sue