Timber Tongues

Spring 2013 The Official British Horse Loggers Newsletter

Timber Tongues

North Yorkshire: Horse Logging in the Snow

In this issue: Chairman’s Report 2−3 Doug Joiner AGM Elections 4 Competitions 4 Combined Systems 5 Crunchie Whitby

‘OK Blue Eyes…’ 6 Chris Wadsworth

Extraction Demo 6

Woodland Regeneration 7 Chris Wadsworth and Blue — see page 6 for Blue’s story Cathrin Vaughan

CONGRATULATIONS!

Many congratulations to Richard Eames on his graduation from the BHL Apprenticeship Scheme. Horse Logging in Japan 8 And congratulations on becoming C.W. Nicol a father! Richard’s wife Helen has given birth to a baby boy. Warmest wishes to Richard and Helen from us all at the BHL.

Woodland Management 9 Membership and Subscriptions Julian Philipson Steffi Schaffler, BHL apprentice, has taken on the role of Membership Secretary and Diary Dates 9 newsletter distributor — thank you, Steffi! And thanks also to outgoing Secretary Christmas Tree Delivery 9 Kirsten Turnbull for all her hard work.

Bio-Security 10 A reminder that BHL membership subscriptions fall due on 1st April, so please for- Pete Harmer ward to the BHL Treasurer, Julian Philipson. Pa ge 2 Timber Tongues Spring 2013

Chairman’s Report not be sorry entirely. The rebirth is an increase in skills and professionalism less well documented and warrants a amongst our members. Doug Joiner few lines. Judith Webb, recently Pit Schlechter, President of FECTU, awarded the MBE for services to for- made an important point in his confer- Abridged version published ahead of the 2013 estry, set up the first modern-day trial ence address at the BFotWH in 2012. AGM of the BHL (the full report is available and study at Llanthony Abbey, Here- He said that we (the working horse on the BHL website) fordshire, in 1988. It was perhaps the community) tend to talk to ourselves I am standing down after 13 years as first time that more modern horse and congratulate ourselves. He argued Chair of the BHL to coincide with the logging equipment was seen by many. that it was essential to talk to those 20th anniversary of the formation of the This led to the establishment of five- outside our comfort zone and challenge British Horse Loggers Association day introductory courses at Holme myths and ignorance. Being part of the (BHLA). Lacy college, also in Herefordshire. FCA helped us to start that process and These courses were the route in for I do so with mixed feelings; a great deal we continue to do so today. many of us in the early 1990s. of pride in our achievements in that time There were changes within the FCA in mixed, inevitably, with some disappoint- A welcome offshoot of the courses the late 1990s and growing dissatisfac- ments but with an overwhelming sense was the birth of the BHLA in 1992- tion with our involvement. This was of celebration. 93. In the early days this was run exacerbated by weak chairing and over- largely by forestry staff at Holme Lacy We have achieved great things. We have ly strong involvement by some FCA including Sara Roberts, Iain raised our professional profile and credi- staff at that time. Hutchinson and Gill Brown, support- bility and seen an increase in work for ed by Jim Waterson and Eric Free- I originally stood as Chair of the BHL our members which goes with a greater man with Richard and Angela Gifford Specialist Group of the FCA in 2000. I acceptance of the importance of our role running the training. This early incep- stood as a result of the dissatisfactions in contemporary forestry. I pay tribute to tion of the BHLA quickly ran out of as I saw them and with the BHL tear- our Patron, the Trustees of the BHL steam (the committee was largely ing itself apart. Anyone who attended Charitable Trust (BHLCT), the Commit- made up of ‘supporters’ and not, as the meetings during that time will not tee of the BHL, the directors of the Brit- now, of professional contractors) and need reminding but we spent whole ish Festival of the Working Horse a decision was made in 1995 that the days in badly run meetings falling out (BFotWH), to our members and our association would be disbanded un- with each other. At times it felt like many supporters and to Gudrun, my less it could form an alliance with a some might actually come to blows. In partner, whose support and understand- larger organisation. my view at that time, the BHL either ing remains so important. changed or we (again) had to disband. Various groups were approached, We have not managed much increase in including the Small Woods Associa- One of the first things I addressed as membership support over the years, and tion, but a very enthusiastic response Chair was the meetings. I stole the we still spend too much time worrying was received from the Forestry Con- Amish idea of Progress Events to give and niggling about minor issues. There tracting Association (FCA) and the a practical forestry, horse and equip- has been a tail-off of enthusiasm since BHLA became the first specialist ment focus to our gatherings. I tried to the high points of 2004 onwards. This is group under its umbrella in 1996. The run a tightly chaired and time limited most clearly seen in falling attendance at allegiance was controversial and led to meeting within the Progress Event fol- the many, excellent courses we run. some serious issues and problems. lowed by a barrel of beer and a barbe- I have hopes but also fears for the fu- cue. The first one was held at Julian We often dismiss the considerable ture. A voluntary body run by a commit- Philipson’s farm in Northumberland. successes of those years. Firstly, the tee relies upon the enthusiasm and sup- We did several things differently: we port of everyone. This has led to serious BHL survived. This led to the BHL in spent the bulk of the time with working its present form. Secondly, our for- problems in the past and could do so horses, new and old equipment, mov- merly internal newsletter was pro- again. I still have ideas, commitment and ing timber. We had a barbecue and a duced nationally in a glossy and re- energy for the tasks ahead but after 13 drink. We stayed around the bonfire spected forestry magazine published years it is time for some new blood and with some beer until the wee small by the FCA. This led to our profes- there are really good folk ready to take hours after a short meeting earlier in sion being placed higher up the agen- up the reins. I will remain active in the the evening. This basic pattern has per- da and helped to make horse logging work of the Charity and the Festival. sisted and the atmosphere at BHL much more mainstream. events is much better than it ever was! A brief history of time Thirdly, the office staff time that we Coupled with a growing sense of inde- The decline of horse logging is well doc- enjoyed led to additional support in- pendence, however, and a stronger umented, reducing from 53% of all tim- cluding research projects and Europe- core group of professional contractors, ber being extracted by horse in the 1960s an study tours. Fourthly, we gained an we made the decision to split and to to almost none by the end of that dec- early web presence. Finally, an in- form the BHL as it now stands, in ade. Horses were shot, forestry was crease in competitions, training cours- 2004. The real key to the success of the mechanised and industrialised and we es and general professional develop- ‘new’ BHL is mentioned above. The will never recover those days. We should ment, supported by the FCA, led to committee, elected in 2004, was largely Timber Tongues Spring 2013 Pa ge 3 made up of professional contractors and support for a Wales-based apprentice. upon the competition we now run for practical horse men and women. This The objects of the Charity are ‘to pro- ourselves. We have added a Fell and ensured more passion and a greater com- mote and maintain the standards of the Extract competition where a given mitment. Passion can lead to interesting craft of Horse Logging for the public tonnage of timber is felled, horse ex- discussions but we seem to weather benefit; and to advance education and tracted, cross-cut and stacked and the those in a way that we failed to prior to training in the craft of Horse Logging work assessed by judges. We have 2004. and associated skills’. The main purpose also introduced the BHL Woodland We have established a developing range to date has been the establishment and Management Award in which work of training courses, responding to sug- running of the apprentice scheme and, contracts are judged by Geraint Rich- gestions from members and the commit- latterly, the machinery ring as well as ards, Duchy of Cornwall Head For- tee. Some have been statutory and others supporting the BFotWH. ester, assisted by Graham Taylor of to foster interests or particular skills. We Prior & Ricketts Silviculture. HRH The BHLCT and the involvement of presented the first award and the are the only group in Britain dedicated to HRH’s staff both in Clarence House and working our horses. We are the only Prince of Wales Perpetual Trophy for the Duchy of Cornwall have introduced Woodland Management, a beautifully group to offer equine first aid courses considerable skill and influence. Judith which, alongside emergency farriery and carved yew and lime trophy depicting Webb MBE, a lifelong forester and for- a pair pulling a timber forwarder. forestry-based First Aid at Work courses mer employee of TGA and Confor, now gives a thorough grounding in emergency a Forestry Commissioner, and Sir Bertie ‘Seeing is Believing’ is an initiative planning and response. Ross KCVO, Chief Executive of the introduced and funded by HRH. The We have devised a Level II Introduction Duchy of Cornwall, have both become idea is to bring together key forestry to Forest Management Course and, Trustees of the charity. The Prince's players, senior forest managers and through the creation of the BHLCT, a Charitable Foundation gave us a cheque owners, and show them what horse fully funded Level III three-year appren- in response to the establishment of the logging is about and what it can offer ticeship scheme. Charity and a further cheque to pay for them. An invitation from HRH results in an attendance we could never We have clear, useful and informative the establishment of the Machinery Ring. achieve on our own, what is referred websites. We have a Professional Regis- to as his ‘convening power’, and ter of accredited and approved contrac- The BFotWH is a stand-alone limited demonstrations in a working wood tors and a list of working members, both company. Its objectives are to promote can be much more convincing than available to customers from the website. horse logging and other horse work. media cover. Running its first eclectic Festival, attend- Following a further initiative with Clar- We have had three events to date: ence House and support from the ed by HRH, in July 2012, it champions the use of real horse power as a renewa- Ladock Wood in Cornwall in 2008, Princes' Charitable Foundation, we have Clarence House in London in 2010 recently established a Machinery Ring, to ble, sustainable and appropriate power source for the 21st century and beyond. and Llwynywermod in Wales in 2012. be launched at the AGM. It will be oper- HRH accepted an invitation to be- ated by the BHLCT on behalf of the The next ‘mini Festival’ event will ex- come an Honorary Life Member of BHL and equipment will be available to plore the use of working horses in vine- the BHL in 2009. hire at affordable rates to BHL members. yards. This, as so superbly demonstrated We are producing a promotional DVD in France, fits very well with the annual We have developed very strong inter- which we also plan to launch at the cycle of work and can support horse national links throughout Europe, AGM. logging businesses at quiet times. Conti- Japan and parts of the United States. We are privileged that HRH The Prince nuity of work, an increased income and The future of Wales agreed to be the BHL Patron in the maintenance of fit and responsive There remains much to try, risk and 2004, the BHLCT in 2009 and the horses with some wine tasting thrown achieve. We must continue to develop BFotWH in 2010. This Patronage has in, what is not to like? the professionalism of our members been renewed until 2017, when it will be We have written many articles for local, and our profession. This will take reviewed again. The benefits to the BHL national and specialist press. We have time, energy, vision, organisational and to the associated organisations are appeared at shows and demonstrations skills and a strong team. Only then incalculable. throughout the UK and Europe. We can we hope to develop and build a The creation of the BHLCT, a stand- have appeared on TV and radio. dignified living for our members. alone company, limited by guarantee and The BHL has also introduced a very We need good, well supported train- with charitable status, enabled us to es- competitively priced professional insur- ing courses to raise standards, to con- tablish the apprenticeship scheme. We ance scheme offering £10m public and tinue to develop the competitions we have appointed four apprentices, two of employers’ liability cover as a member- run, and to persist in keeping horse whom have graduated. The two remain- ship benefit. logging in the public eye and also, ing will be joined by a fifth, Welsh, ap- The BHL has reintroduced and devel- much more importantly, within the prentice following an enthusiastic re- oped the horse logging competition and radar of our fellow professionals. sponse to the ‘Seeing is Believing’ event hosted the 2012 European Horse Log- I look forward to the next 20 years! at HRH’s Welsh property, Llwynywer- ging Championship at the APF based mod, resulting in an offer for financial Very best wishes to you all. Pa ge 4 Timber Tongues Spring 2013

BHL Elections at the AGM Fell and Extract Competition 2013 Pete Harmer Committee members standing for re-election in May: Oh God here we go again! Doesn’t time fly when you’re Nick Burton having fun? Believe it or not it’s eight months since the I started horse logging in 2011, and established Powys For- last AGM and competition weekend; still I only wear the est Horses in Mid-Wales with my Dutch Draft mare. I be- straightjacket at night now. So to anyone who’s interest- lieve the BHL has an important networking role for worked… ing loggers. I can bring to the Committee skills from 30 years’ work in countryside and forestry, and as a parks de- Dear Mother… partment head. The fell and extract competition will be held at Lower Ber- ry Woods adjacent to the Stafford Show Ground Stafford- Kate Mobbs-Morgan shire on Saturday 1st June. For those of you who are bliss- I have been on the Committee for three years and hope I fully ignorant of these shenanigans I will try to illuminate. have been a positive and proactive team member. I feel very strongly that there is a place for working horses in The idea is that each team has a coupe of measured trees modern forestry and would love to continue working with (usually 2m3 total) to fell, snedd, extract and present for the Committee and on behalf of BHL members to put that secondary extraction in 3 metre lengths over a set course message out to the public. (around 50 metres). Points are deducted for misdemean- ours from a starting total of 200 points and all operations Julian Philipson have to be completed in three hours. I am not a working horseman and claim no expertise in horse-logging matters, only enthusiasm. My background is Teams may be either a single operator or a team of two that after qualifying as an accountant I worked in com- people i.e. a chainsaw operator/horse logger or a chainsaw merce then on retiring I bought a smallholding. I have operator and a horse logger. Extraction operations may be been BHL Treasurer since 2004 and am a Trustee of performed by any equine, mule, donkey or oxen. Any BHLCT. number of or combination of the above. For more information and entrance forms, list of rules and David Roycroft point deduction tables contact Pete Harmer: 01905- I am on the professional register and work as a horse log- 391166 or 0797-470304, e-mail: [email protected] ger and in forestry full time. I am also a placement provid- er for BHLCT apprentices. I have been on the Committee Closing date for entries is: Friday 17th May 2013. for a year now and would like to carry on to promote horse logging as a modern-day option. Who Says Horse Loggers Can’t Steffi Schaffler Forward Plan? (Who asked you, Paddock?) I am a BHLCT apprentice and full-time horse logger, Anyway the plan is that the 2014 AGM and competition working first with Chris Wadsworth and now with Jim weekend will held at Scarborough and me being a soft Johnstone. I have been on the Committee for a year and shandy-swilling southern person of unknown parentage, I would like to continue working in the BHL to promote will happily travel up to help judge the competition (if horse work and support people starting up in business. required to) but I cannot commit to the time required to I’ve just been appointed Membership Secretary. set it up. Chris Wadsworth So I am looking for someone to shadow me this year who I have been a working as a horse logger since 1990. I have would then take on organising the Scarborough bash. If been a member of the BHL since it was formed in 1992, nothing else you should see how badly it can be organised and have served as a Committee member for many years. I and still got away with. believe horse logging should be promoted as a serious professional force in forestry. The ideal candidate should be alive, live north of Birming- ham and have a thick skin. The ability to read and write Matt Waller English could also prove useful. I have worked as a land manager for local authorities and Shadowing me would involve a full day on Friday 31st charities for over 10 years. In 2007 I set up Hawthorn May to set up the coupes, an hour before the competition Heavy Horses with my wife Claudia, and we use our three starts on Saturday (so around 09.00), three hours of the Suffolk Punch horses for logging in Essex. I represented Competition plus about an hour at the end. the BHL at the 2012 APF, demonstrating horse logging. This is an unpaid position, in fact you might be asked for The Committee may co-opt additional members for specific duties: a sub by one of the judges. currently co-opted are Linda Thackray (Logo Items) and Please apply to Pete Harmer 01905-391166 or 0797- Cathy Vaughan (Newsletter Editor). 470304 e-mail [email protected]

Timber Tongues Spring 2013 Pa ge 5

Combined Systems Last March I had a bit of work with Pete a full load up that hill that’s Harmer and Andy White at Titley in Her- £50 each.’ Funny, each time Crunchie Whitby efordshire. The task was to clear fell about she reached that hill after, I 4 acres of Norway spruce and extract it to found myself stopping the saw I enjoyed reading Chris Wadsworth’s arti- a place accessible to a lorry about half a and egging her on exactly as cle ‘Ow Much?’ in the autumn 2012 issue. mile across a field and up a narrow farm you would a horse: ‘Go on girl, I especially enjoyed thinking of what kit I track. The trees on the flat were felled and you can do it, go on, go on. would buy if I had infinite resources. Sad- extracted by Andy’s Oxtrac caterpillar Just a bit more. Yee ha!’ ly, real life is far removed from the fantasy. skidder to an area where they could be In another wood at the same One thing I would pull Chris up on is that converted to various products (fencing estate, clearing larch, the hors- part of the running cost would be wages, bars, strainers, pulpwood etc.) before be- es were called in to help be- and the cost of employing a harvester ing loaded by Florence (the Ford Country) cause some of the trees were driver and a forwarder driver would pale onto the forwarder to trundle half a mile only accessible by fording a into insignificance next to the bill for hand over hill and dale to the stacking area. But spring-fed stream supplying felling and horse extraction. For example, about a third of the wood was on quite a drinking water to the estate. A if 10 fellers and 10 horse men were to steep bank, above the River Arrow. burst hydraulic pipe or diesel achieve the same output in a day (which I spill would be catastrophic. So doubt they could), if each earned £150 per it was the horses’ job to prima- day, the wage bill would be £3000 per day! ry extract to where the Oxtrac I couldn’t help feeling the article was a bit could safely take over. anti-machine, and as a reformed Luddite One last job during this sum- myself I felt compelled to defend machin- mer had a friend struggling to ery from a horse logger’s point of view. extract chestnut on a steep I think the hand fellers verses harvester bank with a tractor and winch. debate can be rapidly dismissed when one I remember my first meeting considers these harvesters sned (de-limb) with him: on me saying I was a softwoods at around 5m per second. A horse logger he said, ‘Well hand feller would struggle to get anywhere Crunchie extracting timber down a steep bank that’s expensive and ineffec- near 1m per second. Plus the harvester tive’, which rather hurt my doesn’t suffer fatigue so goes on all day The Oxtrac is a small skidder about the feelings. Well he had to eat his (and all night if need be) felling, snedding length of a short wheelbase Landrover words as in nine days with a and cross-cutting a tree in seconds. When and about a foot narrower. It is steered by helper cross-cutting and stack- it comes to horses and machinery, in my a joystick and can spin on a sixpence. As ing we had nearly three lorry experience the two, when worked properly the weight is spread on the tracks, it has loads at trackside quicker and together, can produce very good results. low impact on the ground. It is the inven- cheaper than the tractor, as the A few of the benefits of a horse or pair of tion of a French-Canadian horse logger, winch takes two (a choker man horses working with swingle trees though whether to replace horses or work and a driver) to operate. This (tushing) are: (1) high manoeuvrability alongside I’m not sure. I prefer the latter. was taken out in an afternoon (between trees, stumps etc.); (2) low im- Although the Oxtrac could work by run- by a large forwarder. pact on the ground (less damage to plants, ning out the winch cable and winching to It later got back to me that my saplings, compaction of tree roots etc.); (3) the top of the bank, the pair of horses friend told another local no pollution, no oil or diesel to contami- could clear the bank faster with the added woodland owner, ‘You should nate the ground. It is clear that all of these advantage of no risk of polluting the river use Crunchie and his ponies, attributes are most valuable actually under as the machinery didn’t have to enter this they’re quicker than a tractor!’ the trees in the woods. Once the wood patch at all. If any piece was too much for Result. hits the track it’s time for machines, with the horses I’d shout to Andy and we The more of these machine- their bigger load capacities, to take over. would winch it up with the cable rather based foresters we can con- When Mike Paddock visited the Czech than wearing the horses out unnecessarily. vince that horses have a role to Republic he noted that the mainstay of And on the flat I could help the Oxtrac by play in modern forestry, the Josef Svoboda’s work is extracting 4m moving the smaller poles, allowing Andy better for us all. Perhaps one to concentrate on the grunters with the lengths of softwood over 50−100yds and day oil will run out and the more powerful Oxtrac. Teamwork! bunching them at trackside for extraction horse will reign (no pun) su- by mechanical forwarder. This system of On this job I kindled a respect for my preme again. Until then forest- primary extraction by horse also optimises mechanised team mates, even Florence. ry machinery is here to stay, so the output of the forwarder, allowing it to One day while felling I asked how I knew my motto is, ‘If you can’t beat pick up full loads up from where they have what I was earning as it was on piece rate. ‘em, join ‘em.’ been conveniently bunched by the horse. Andy said, ‘Well each time Florence takes Pa ge 6 Timber Tongues Spring 2013

‘OK Blue Eyes…’ Chris Wadsworth

In September, I very sadly decided to part with my beloved, sometimes brilliant, but temperamental, Percheron. I had contracts under negotiation, and needed a horse that could go straight to work. After a bad year, finances were very tight, which ruled out anything fancy. I have always worked heavy draughts, but I have observed various loggers working cobs, and been impressed by the capabilities of smaller draught horses. Where to start? I went to the Internet, and the dragondriving Chris Wadsworth and Blue at work in woodland close to home site. A couple of weeks in, and several non-productive enquiries, I found a promising coloured cob, not too far away Downsizing meant that none of my gear fitted, and a in County Durham. The picture showed the horse in a dray, so new collar, D-ring harness, and bars for Nordic I was dealing with a travellers’ horse. shafts did rather go against the economy drive. I have not dealt with the travelling community, but I have After a few weeks’ practice and mutual acquaintance, friends who have, and I dragged Mark and Kirsten along with I started a contract on a Forestry Commission site me. We found a solid cob mare, 15.1 hh, with good, short, with high levels of public access. My jobs usually feathered legs and good shoulders. There was a bit of a roach involve a lot of travelling, or living away in the back, and she lacked some muscle at the back end. Oh, well... middle of winter; just for a change, this one is two miles from home, and one from my stable. We were told that she was 11 years old, had done the trip to Appleby Fair with iron-tyred living wagons a few times, and Blue settled to the work amazingly quickly, snigging, other road haulage, plus having a couple of foals. She was and working in shafts, firstly in the Ep-Vagnen currently working in a riding school. forwarder, then, since the snow has come, in a shaft skidder. Steady work and feeding have filled out the I wanted to see her driven, so they put her in a four-wheeled muscle, and she is now a better shape. dray. Her calm entry to the shafts, and the quiet way the men worked with her, told me that she had been well handled. Out She is totally unflappable, and, for her size, amazingly onto the lane, trot up to the junction, wait, down the main road powerful. This was demonstrated when we were in the traffic, back into the lane, stop, back up a few paces. All snigging an Ash butt off a very wet and slippery calm and quiet. slope. Halfway down, I went down on the greasy clay, and Blue, instead of turning right onto the We proceeded to business. Mark and the owner, having eyed footpath, turned left, and hauled half her weight up a each other, found they had acquaintances in common. I had steep flight of six steps, and stood at the top till I credibility. A brief haggle, and I had a horse. caught up. Back home, she is white, with a black mask over both eyes, and It is hard to think that nine weeks ago, she had not black patches on the chest and belly. Both eyes are blue, and been in the woods in her life. she came with the name ‘Blue Eyes’. I thought that if I had to talk to her all day, I might turn into Humphrey Bogart, so I I think I’ve got a Good’un. have shortened it to ‘Blue’.

Timber Extraction Demo Peter Coates and his part-bred Shire gelding Nathan took part in a Woodland Heritage Day at Hardcastle Crags, near Hebden Bridge, in November. The object of demonstrating timber extraction by horse was to illustrate low impact on the environment whether from footfall and tracks or pollution. The afternoon was spent demonstrating to three different groups with slightly different agendas what can and can't be done with a horse. The Woodland Heritage Day was attended by groups interested in woodlands and conservation, including Pennine Prospects which looks after the South Pennines uplands; Blackbark, a coppice charcoal group; the National Trust; Oldham Archaeology Group; and Calder & Colne River Management. The event attracted the interest of the media, and the Yorkshire Post produced a Peter Coates with Nathan at the stack video of Peter and Nathan at work. Timber Tongues Spring 2013 Pa ge 7

Woodland Regeneration Project on Anglesey Cathrin Vaughan

Months of rain and snow in North ter for machines, however. James Wales have made working conditions said, ‘I’m struggling to get the difficult, but professional horse logger quad bike going – it’s just going Barbara Haddrill of Carnog Working nowhere in the mud, yet the hors- Horses, and her two cobs Tyler and es have been going through with Billy, are undaunted. They are working no problem.’ on an ongoing project to regenerate Without the horses, the project and snowdrops were in flower when I neglected woodland on the Plas could have ground to a halt came to lend a hand and take photo- Newydd Estate, Anglesey, owned by through lack of access for ma- graphs in early February. the Marquess of Anglesey. chinery – which would also cause The timber extracted is being put to Coed Llwyn-Onn is mostly mixed more damage to the ground, and good use on site, thanks to a new woodland, with a 30-year-old planta- to standing trees and young sap- sawmill. A drying shed has been built for tion of larch. Two years ago James lings. the sawn planks, and roof beams fash- and Dominique Carpenter of the Barbara said, ‘It’s a really good ioned for repairing the old estate build- company Syrcas Circus, also Plas contract, ideal for horses. It’s a ings. A bespoke building for the compost Newydd Estate tenants and members nice site, and flat, which is unusu- toilet has been much admired, and James of the Forest Education Initiative, al for us. It’s very different to a has already sold another one in kit form took out a lease on 30 acres of wood- lot of the work I’ve done, which to a local green woodworking company. land to manage it for conservation and is mostly in private woodlands, as education. The work is volunteer-led Barbara said, ‘It’s nice to see the whole there are a lot of people around, process from the trees being felled to and grant-funded by the AONB Sus- lots of volunteers. People like to tainable Development Fund (SDF). things being built with the timber − and see us, and that often means stop- keeping it local.’ Around 800 trees have been marked ping and talking – we get a lot of for felling and so far about 400 trees attention.’ Barbara, who is on the BHL Professional Register, set up Carnog Working Horses have been felled and extracted. The Barbara is particularly proud of horses have been brought in to extract four years ago with her piebald mare Ty- Tyler: ‘There was one log I didn’t ler, now 12 years old. Billy, a black geld- the timber because of their reduced think we’d be able to move: it was environmental impact. ing aged 8, joined the team two years a green sycamore log weighing ago. She said, ‘I got Tyler who was quite Barbara and her cobs have generated a more than a ton. But I hired the experienced in carriage driving, although lot of interest, and have proven to be combi-drag from Maggie Braun- not in logging, and I was able to learn a valuable draw for the project. ton and Tyler pulled it on her with her. She did it all. By the time I got Dominique said, ‘It’s been really good own, with six people pushing. Billy I had more confidence and experi- for us: we get more volunteers in, and That was a really good moment.’ ence to take on a horse that was going to more groups come in to see her work- Most of the logs are extracted need a bit more work.’ ing the horses, so it increases our pro- with a swingle tree, working the file.’ Barbara also took part in the FEI The cobs provide versatile horse power, cobs singly or as a pair, but for working singly or as a pair, depending on Anglesey Woodland Festival in Sep- the occasional bigger ones, Tyler tember, co-organised by Syrcas Circus. the size of the logs, the terrain and the in the shafts and Billy parbuckling space available, or simply for variety. The extremely muddy conditions have logs onto the combi-drag has Barbara mostly uses a swingle tree rather been challenging, but not an obstacle worked well. Barbara has also than a log arch, given the tight manou- for Tyler and Billy. It is another mat- experimented with working her vreing needed in most of the woodlands cobs in tandem – Tyler in the she works in. Both cobs have been work- shafts and Billy in front. ing barefoot very successfully for a year Thanks to hard work by Barbara now. and her cobs, and the Coed Carnog Working Horses clients include Llwyn-Onn team, great progress the National Trust, RSPB and BTCV, as has been made. The woodland well as private landowners. Barbara also has opened out, with the rhodo- runs occasional horse logging training dendrons cleared to reveal a fine days at the Centre for Alternative Tech- old stone wall. Letting more light nology (CAT) near Machynlleth. in allows the saplings to flourish, Pa ge 8 Timber Tongues Spring 2013

Horse Logging in After a year researching the forest, in November 2012, at my insistence, Nagano, Japan we brought in horses and handlers from Tohoku, northeast Japan, to C.W. Nicol MBE help us extract logs. Ken Hachimaru and Takashi Iwama Soon after World War II, the Japanese have made good friends in Britain, Forestry Agency embarked on a bold with Takashi taking part in the BHL plan to convert large areas of the natural annual competition and the Europe- mixed forest to single-species plantations Ken Hachimaru extracting logs with Daichan an Horse Logging Championship of conifers. The idea was that trees such (Photo: Kenji Minami) using borrowed horses. They as the Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar), Japa- brought their horses, Daichan and nese larch and cypress, would grow forestry, I started to buy up dense, Samurai King, to Nagano and set up quickly, and uniformly straight, thus easi- scrubby conifer plantations and a paddock by our small guest cot- er to harvest and mill. Forestry has al- mixed woodlands which had been tage. By this time the woods were ways been a major part of the Japanese neglected for decades. With a local full of autumn colours and the nasty economy, ecology and culture, and some forester whose salary I paid, we be- biting horseflies had disappeared. 67% of Japan is covered with trees. gan trimming and planting. In 2002 I We held a seminar, inviting forestry After the war, the forestry industry flour- donated this woodland to form a officials, local Forestry Union mem- ished, as rebuilding Japan’s devastated woodland trust. bers, university forestry experts, and cities was of prime importance. As the The C.W. Nicol Afan Woodland other interested folk. Horse logging Japanese economy boomed, the power- Trust now covers 31 hectares and is was common throughout Japan un- ful National Forestry Agency made more slowly expanding. In 2011 we were til about 50 years ago, with sleds and more of its money from cutting old- designated as a Heritage for the Fu- used in snow country such as Hok- growth forests. The conifer plantations ture by UNESCO Japan. In 2009 we kaido and Nagano. However, it has were still too young to make enough were greatly honoured by a visit by almost totally died out, along with money to support this top-heavy bureau- HRH Prince Charles and Princess working horses. The idea of using cracy. Hisako Takamado (a naturalist and horses for logging has hardly en- The yen became stronger, and Japanese ornithologist ). tered the minds of Japanese forestry traders began importing timber. As of a Our woodland has some 80 species people. After the seminar about 50 few years ago, 80% of the lumber used in of trees, conifer and deciduous, and guests watched a demonstration of Japan was imported, and the local forest- a remarkable wildlife including bears, horse logging, widely covered by the ry industries were dying off. The Forest- wild boar, deer, foxes, badgers, ra- media and television. The next day, ry Agency went into debt and had to be coon dogs, civet cats, weasels, hares, the horses and handlers worked bailed out with public money. flying squirrels and dormice. Our list hard at extracting logs. As a result, all over Japan are dense, dark of reptiles and birds is long. We have I am convinced that horse logging is plantations of conifers that desperately brought back 31 endangered species a very important way to reach ne- need trimming. Their top branches all of fauna and flora. Adjoining us is glected areas that need selected touch, leaving only a small space at the National Forest, typical dark, dense, trimming and are too sensitive to top of the trees where light reaches and untended plantations of cedar and cut ugly roads with heavy machinery the tree can photosynthesize. The forest larch. along the mountain slopes − in oth- floor is dark, brown, often littered with In 2011, United Nations Year of the er words, much of Japan’s forest. dead branches, and the trees are spindly. Forest, I sat on Japan’s national Here in Japan, advocates for horse As I am always pointing out, nobody in committee for forestry. We took the logging are few and far between, the Japanese Forestry Agency has actual- committee to see the sad, dark shape and we need to build connections ly grown a forest. It must be embarrass- of the National Forests adjoining our and exchange information with in- ing for them to have a loud, insistent, thriving woodland. It was agreed ternational friends. I think we have ruddy-faced Welshman who has been that ‘something had to be done’. made an excellent start with the growing a woodland for 27 years in ca- The outcome was a historical agree- hoots with a forester who has been BHL and we send you all warm ment to allow our woodland trust to greetings for 2013, the Year of the working for over 50 years! When they study and to trim out the crowded Snake in the Japanese calendar. 2014 try to argue with us they don’t have a leg, conifers from 27 hectares of Nation- will be the Year of the Horse! We or a stump, to stand on! al Forest. The objectives are to grow I settled in Nagano in 1980, gaining Japa- better-class timber, increase biodi- will be planning ahead to do some- nese citizenship in 1995. From 1986, versity, and open up areas of the thing about that! concerned about Japanese wildlife and forest for eco-tourism and healing. Timber Tongues Spring 2013 Pa ge 9

The Wood Owner’s Perspective before a buyer will pick it up, then he may take his time in paying you, though you may already have had Julian Philipson to pay over to HMRC the VAT on your invoices to him. We own a small patch of conifer plantation on a site which Meanwhile your contractor will be demanding prompt was once semi-natural ancient woodland. We have been slow- payment; his bairns are hungry, he has holes in his ly felling it for firewood with the intention of restocking with boots and needs your money now. native species, but were persuaded by Forest Enterprise that My point is that horselogging is not just a matter of the pace of our progress was too slow and we should use an idyllic sunny days in the woods with horse and man EWIGS grant to finance a clear-fell and restoration. working in glorious harmony. Previously we have sold timber standing, so the buyer ap- A horse logger cannot be just a horseman, but must points a contractor to fell and extract to roadside, then pays also be a forester able to advise his clients on the con- you a price per tonne loaded to wagons, the rate depending duct of the whole job, and able to see it from their on species and size of timber. This leaves no pressure on the point of view. He could even sell the timber as agent contractor to get the maximum value from the site, nor to for the client, or buy the trees standing for his own complete the job quickly, but not many buyers round here account. seem willing to quote a fixed price for the crop as it stands rather than a rate per tonne loaded to road vehicle. As a horse logger you will rarely be appointed by For- estry Commission or Tillhill and their likes. Most of The alternative we considered was to arrange the felling and your jobs are going to come from private owners, of- extraction ourselves and to sell the produce at roadside. That ten with only small woods to work, without the expe- way you can control who the contractor is and how he works. rience to manage the job themselves, and they want a But if you take control of your own fell and extract you do turnkey solution. take on more worries. What sizes should the timber be cut to? So what did we do? We agreed to sell the crop as it Have we got enough room to make separate stacks sorted by stands, priced at so much per tonne uplifted from species and size? How will the trees be felled down that diffi- roadside. The cutter on the job has been making an cult bank? Can they be extracted across that stream without extraordinarily good job under difficult conditions, at incurring fines from the Environment Agency? What to do least he was until a log rolled and broke his ribs. with all the brash? A tree surgeon was employed as cutter for two days What if timber buyers play hard to get, pretending they don’t but he made such a mess that he was not invited back. want that size or species, and can’t possibly pay the modest The buyer is doing the extraction personally, but price you ask? And what should that price be anyway? What pulled out saying he needed to wait for dryer weather do we do with timber left behind as not making up a wagon- – I suspect he has a better job to go to, like those load? What if the sale proceeds turn out to be less than the builders who start a trench, leave their mixer and only fell and extract costs? come back six months later. Another issue is cash flow. If you arrange the fell and extract So what should be a turnkey contract is going wrong yourself, you may have timber lying at roadside for some time already. We will have to see.

Dreaming of a White Christmas ... Important Dates for Your Diary The 2013 BHL Annual General Meeting will be held in Lower Berry Wood at Staffordshire County Showground at 2.00pm on Sunday 2nd June. The BHL Competitions 2013 will be held over the AGM weekend at the same venue. Set-up on Thursday 30th May with competitions held on Friday 31st May, Saturday 1st June and the morn- ing of Sunday 2nd June. Places will be announced and prizes presented imme- diately prior to the AGM. Suffolk Punch gelding Alex, owned by BHL member Jeff Shea, delivers a Christmas tree Bio-Security — with reference to Chalara and Pytophora in particular Pete Harmer Now even the most remote living and Ludditest horse log- So having discovered what kills the little blighters how do ger must have heard some of the rumpus over the latest we go about waging war? Well, it could not be simpler. tree disease gifted to us from our European neighbours First of all everything that you take onto the site must be (generous souls that they are): by this of course I am speak- washed down to remove all signs of soil, leaves, needles ing of Chalara fraxinea or Ash Dieback, depending on and bark, then sprayed with your chosen formula every whether you read The Times or the Daily Mail. time it is going to be removed from the site — and by Not to be confused with Ash Canker which of course we everything I mean everything: have had since before the Romans invaded, I mean talked  Tools, including chainsaws, fuel and oil cans, us into joining the original European Union, but that was felling leavers, hammer and wedges, tongs, tapes 53AD and we should not hold a grudge, or so I’m told. and spray cans. Chalara is a fungus that was first identified attacking Ash  PPE − boots in particularly must be scrubbed to trees (Fraxinus excelsior) in Poland back in 1992 and it has remove all signs of soil especially the cleats on the steadily worked its way westward merrily leaving a trail of soles. destruction wherever it goes. Most notably in Denmark  Extraction equipment: so horses washed down, where it has reportedly killed 97% of that country’s Ash feet picked out mud removed from harness and population, Chalara of course comes hot on the heels of gears, and if you are using a forwarder then all the Phytophthora gang. These being a family of fungi like plant material must be removed from the vehicle, pathogens responsible for things like potato blight and Al- mud washed off, and please do not forget to scrub der dieback, through to the ramorum strain that has those tyres. slaughtered the larch in the West Country and South  And should you wish to drive your gear onto site Wales, so not to be taken lightly. do not forget the vehicle and any trailer you use, especially wheel arches, tyres and foot wells where So just by the simple fact that horse loggers work in wood- mud might collect. land there is every chance that they will, have or are working on site where one or maybe both diseases are present. Last time I checked Propellar was £110 plus postage and What, if anything, can be done to reduce the risk of us packaging for 12 x 1 litre squirty bottles and industrial spreading them from woodland to woodland as you go methylated spirits was about £130 for 25 litres at 95% about your hectic but lucrative work schedules? concentration, so that could be watered down a bit to get it to the recommended 70% (add approximately 200ml of Well both diseases are reproduced by spores, in the case of water to a litre of meths, ice and a slice to suit, serve in a Phytophthora this is what the black ooze is that exits the tall glass: lovely). lesions on the host trees bark. They are zoospores so they need free water (free water is that which is not bound with- Once having carried out this cleaning operation after a in cells of an organism or soil structure) into which it can full and profitable day messing about in the woods, gain access (no shortage of that this year), so even a light please, please, please, remember that you are all ambassa- mist would be enough to aid its distribution. dors for the BHL and the great profession of horse logging … and do not take out your immature frustrations The spores of Chalara are, as far as we know, are produced on the young family complete with three kids, a push- within in the dead leaves of infected trees between June chair and Golden Retriever who have just walked straight and September and is spread by infected plant material and through your felling site and know nothing about, care or soil (hence imported planting stock being the cause of so can be bothered with your bio-security measures, or the many of the cases found so far), but also by the wind. woodland owners and their dog who have just popped OK, so how do we limit the role that we play in these dis- down to see how things are going and simply forgot eases distribution? First of all, what kills it? Well alcohol- (especially if the cheque has not cleared yet). based disinfectants are the suggested weapons. Industrial No, save them for that batch of mud-splattered mountain methylated spirits at 70% concentration could be used, but bikers who are going to descend on you out of nowhere the recommended commercially available product is Pro- scaring the hell out of the horses and nicking your 5 gal- peller from Evans in Cornwall (Google it at your peril). lon drum of meths to make a jump. Happy logging.

The next edition of Timber Tongues will be out in The next issue of Timber Tongues will be in June, and The BHL Newsletter Editor June. Cathy Vaughan contributions are welcome. How about sharing your experiences, opinions and Bryn Tawel, 12 Llynfa Road If you would like to contribute, please email your Penclawdd expertise with fellow BHL members? Have you been article in by Mid May 2011 to the newsletter editor. Swansea SA4 3XD working on an interesting project, for example? 01792-850902 Please email copy to Cathy Vaughan Email: [email protected] by mid-May.