We were asked to clear 0.4ha of European gorse scrub by manual removal with chainsaws and hand tools. All work was to be undertaken in winter, with mitigations in place to reduce ground disturbance as much as possible, to potentially nesting dormice.
Goss Moor,
Cornwall
Client brief
To clear 0.4ha of European gorse scrub by manually, with chainsaws and hand tools. All resulting brash of less than 150mm was to be burnt on tins in situ, all resulting brash over 150mm in diameter was to be cut and stacked into habitat piles. Although the work took place in winter, mitigations were in place to reduce ground disturbance as much as possible, to the potentially nesting dormice. All cuts were made between 15-30cm above ground level, and burn sites kept to higher & drier areas of land, where disturbance to peaty soils and nesting dormice will be reduced significantly.
THRC solution
We mobilised our team, lead by our general manager, and set about clearing the 0.4ha required. We began with a toolbox talk delivered by our operations manager on the variety of species of flora to remain in the space and not be cut. This included western gorse and isolated trees within the landscape, such as willow, birch & hawthorn. This entailed cutting all materials at approximately 200mm above ground level, as well as establishing sacrificial drag routes for moving brash to burn piles. We recognised potential nesting dormice sites and areas where they could be prominent.
The team set about cutting the European gorse within the marked areas by the Natural England Project Manager. Our team used Stihl chainsaws and hand saws to cut the materials at 200mm above ground level, whilst checking for nesting dormice. We established ideal burning locations and set about conducting a site survey of the drag routes for potential nesting dormice. We worked in pairs with one cutting and one dragging to an established burn site kept under control by an operative.
End Result
Over the course of a week we cleared the 0.4ha with all arisings burnt or stacked into habitat piles. This has now reduced the area of the dominating European gorse adding to the existing cleared area on Goss Moor. Isolated willow and birch trees were left. This will now allow a wider variety of native flora to establish in the cleared areas without the dominant presence of the gorse.
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