If you want an idea how fast trees grow, take a look at the two newer plantations. Most of the trees in the Western Wood – the old allotments – were planted in 1992, so that’s 15 years ago. Some of them are now 30 feet high. They’ve been so successful that we’re going to be thinning them out shortly.
Photo: The Western Wood, looking towards the old miners’ cottages at Wapley Rank.
The Centenary Wood, on the edge of the Top Meadow, was planted in 1995, so that’s 12 years. It didn’t have the benefit of being former allotments. Even so, many of the trees are 15 or 20 feet high.
Photo: the Centenary Wood (lighter colours) with the main woodland behind.