Getting rid of the deadwood...

Yesterday Carl and Paul were working in the wood at the back of Churchwood, planting some new trees to replace ones that had been felled at height. The old trees had to be removed as they were becoming rotten at the base which poses a significant safety hazard for people walking by.

 

The were chopped at a height to allow the trees to become deadwood and habitable for wildlife. A tree left like this can become a home to many different species, from fungi to insects to birds. It is a part of the university's biodiversity action plan to create habitats for wildlife, and by leaving trees like this in the woodland we are promoting our conservation and biodiversity efforts.
These trees were replaced with three beech saplings which should grow pretty quickly in this area with there being so much sunlight and open space now.

The old branches have been left in piles within this section of woodland to create habitat piles which can be very good for encouraging more wildlife into the area, such as hedgehogs, as they provide excellent shelter for the colder and wetter months.
Further up the woodland, Carl and Paul planted some more beech saplings to encourage more growth in an open area.

We have new ties now which attach the tree to the stake for support but are designed like a belt. This way we can easily slacken the tie as the tree grows rather than having to cut off the old tie to replace it with a new one. It shouldn't take long for the new trees to become established but we will be keeping an eye on them to make sure they are thriving.

(Photos taken by myself on Thursday 25th February)

Spring is here!

It certainly seems like the bulbs think it's spring anyway. We're still experiencing a lot of cold frosty weather but that doesn't seem to be stopping the flowers from blooming. Below are just a few of the flowers worth looking out for on your walk around the Headingley campus.

It really is worth walking round campus to see all the daffodils that are starting to appear, especially along the borders of Bronte, Leighton and Priestley.

 

Last October and November we planted over a thousand bulbs in various parts of the campus, consisting of; but not limited to, daffodils, tulips, crocus, alliums, frittilaria, and iris. We should have a fantastic display for most of the year as I chose bulbs that would bloom at different times of the year to keep the colour going. So far the daffodils and crocus are coming through but I can't wait for later in the year to see what else appears.
If you walk over towards the student hub there are four borders full of shrubs and at the moment the hellebore and greater periwinkle (Vinca major variegata) are in flower.

Over by Churchwood and The Grange there are two cherry trees, both in bloom, and they look fantastic when the sun hits them.

 

 

So get out there and have a look for these fantastic flowers. I'll be doing another walk round soon to show you what else is starting to bloom and what to look out for.

(Photos taken by myself on Monday 22nd February and Thursday 25th February)