Sudden Oak Death

Phytophthora ramorum - the two most dreaded words in the woods round here! This disease which originated in the 'US of A' is ripping through the Japanese Larch plantations here in the "west country". It does not affect our native oaks and is, therefore, a mis-nomer in the UK. The main landowner affected is the National Trust which has several holdings on the Quantocks and within the Exmoor National Park

Staples Plantation - from the car park at ST117411

Immense amounts of timber are being felled at the moment to try and stop the disease spreading and it has to be finished before the spring. So much timber is coming out that the saw-mills are over-loaded, so much so, that alot of it will end up as wood fuel. It's like wiping your arse with a fiver (5GBP)!

Just one of the Larch stacks at Staples Plain.

Anyhow, Staples Plain is our nearest access point to the Quantocks. Later in the year, I hope to walk over much of it with the county recorder in order to "get a feel of the place".

Plenty of gorse to look at and moor grassland to wander over in search of nesting birds.
Naturally, I'll be on the look out for ringing sites, too, around the edges, where approach in a vehicle is possible.