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On 29th September 2020 I visited the site with Dean to discuss the maintenance programme for Ty Gwyn with Will Tomkins of Fountains Forestry who manage Ty Gwyn. The upland, exposed site can be bleak at times but, although the day had started overcast and rather cold, by the time we arrived on site there was bright sun and little wind, making for a very pleasant visit.
Access from a farm track is via a single gate leading to a system of internal forest roads. Beyond the access gate, the southern road leads south-westerly to just short of the western site boundary. A little over halfway along the southern road, a short link road connects to the northern road which runs roughly parallel to the southern road from just short of the western site boundary to the Pool in the east. The forest roads had been flailed as part of routine maintenance earlier in the year and were in excellent condition so we toured the site in Will's 4X4.
On entering the site, the area of the left of the road is the 2010 re-planting, now well-established and showing very good growth rates.
View looking south west from the access gate with the 2010 planting on the left: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
The area on the right of the road is the younger 2015 planting. Here the weed growth is still more apparent than the trees but Will assured me that the crop had 'got away' very successfully and was through the early problems and showing excellent growth rates.
View looking west from the access gate with the 2015 planting in the centre: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
Inspection of individual trees confirmed sturdy growth.
2015 planting: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
We continued south-west along the southern road, passing the oldest stand of spruce, now around 40 feet tall.
View looking south from the link road, showing oldest spruce: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
Next, we took the link road which falls into a shallow valley, with the young 2015 planting on both sides of the road, before climbing to the junction with the north road.
Panoramic view looking north along the link road with 2015 planting to left and right: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
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Our next inspection was westerly along the northern road to the site boundary, through the 2010 planting. Originally, a mature plantation managed by the Forestry Commission lay to the west of the boundary. Welsh Devolution brought about many changes and that land is now part of the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, who have felled a wide strip.
The northern boundary of Ty Gwyn is provided with some wind protection by a narrow strip of sitka and mixed broadleaves, mainly dating from 1995. Common varieties of trees have suprisingly shallow root systems and destruction by 'toppling' in windy conditions (called 'windblow') is a risk, often covered by insurance, as is the other major risk during dry weather, fire.
View looking south-west along the northern road: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
This northern strip, which includes oak and birch, has deliberately been left to develop its own character to provide a habitat which encourages wildlife.
Broadleaves above the Pool: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
Some years ago, a small pool was created, near the end of the northern road, by damming a small stream which runs across the site. At that time, the southern edge of the pool was fringed by mature spruce but this was harvested in 2015. Slowly, natural regeneration and the 2015 sitka planting is restoring the original pool setting.
The Pool: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
Jan and Will at the Pool: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
Panoramic view of the Pool: Ty Gwyn 2020 (Photo: D. Mould)
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Reassured that all was well, we left the trees to continue their task of "sequestering carbon".
My posts about Ty Gwyn
You can find all my posts about Ty Gwyn here (in reverse date-of-posting order), with links to albums of pictures.
Pictures of Ty Gwyn
Pictures from this visit are at Ty Gwyn 2020
You can find all my albums of pictures of Ty Gwyn here.
