From Mighty Acorns....or Shed Some Light.

As part of a woodland management scheme, a group of oaks were due to be felled in High Hag Wood above the Footprint.

James Archer, (Area Ranger CEL), decided the wood could be put to good use for constructing a green oak  fire-wood store/tool shed to replace the old delapidated one.

Group-felling breaks up woodland structures, where trees are of a similar age and size. Creating new gaps with more light will encourage oak, rowan, birch, and hazel, to regenerate.

By developing patches of trees of differing ages and sizes, woodlands will become more varied and diverse.

Liam Plummer,Central and East Lakes, Woodland Ranger.

  Richard Tanner, the Woodland Ranger for South lakes, had already agreed to lead a Working Holiday Group to construct the framework for the shed out of the felled oak. Richard has successfully led groups at Wray Castle and Base Camp on similar 'green oak' building projects. 

Contractors with a chain saw mill processed the oak logs into timber to the required specifications.

The timber was brought down to the Footprint by power barrow.

Joinery work (NO NAILS!) was carried out inside the Footprint as well as outside on the decking. The frame work was assembled inside the Footprint and then taken down to be reassembled on its chosen permanent site.

Richard casting a critical eye!

Assembling the frame-work on the newly prepared pad.

Below...

A job well done and right on schedule! With Richard's skillful guidance, The Group can be justifiably proud of what they have achieved in just a week.
*****************************************************************************

Larch cladding was provided by NT Boon Crag sawmill. The rangers and a volunteer at St. Catherine's  fitted this around the oak framework, to show it off to its best advantage.

Putting on the roof was the next stage.

Roofing complete and under the eaves a newly installed nesting box.

The smaller of the two doorways under construction.

Finally the build is complete with doors and beautiful rustic handles.

 Thanks to Richard and Hugo from South Lakes, the Working holiday Group, Boon Crag saw mill, Ian Taylor and Stuart Morley.