Oxfordshire Woodland Group

When sitting having lunch in the woodland on a calm but damp autumn day I heard a very loud crack and wondered if a tree had just fallen but inspection of the woodland in the general direction of the sound revealed nothing.

About a half an hour later there was a huge crashing noise and my eye caught a very large beech branch descending to the woodland floor at great speed.

Close inspection of the downed branch revealed that this would have killed anyone who had the misfortune to have been under same at the time that the branch fell to earth.

Careful inspection of a few large beech trees in this area revealed one which exhibited a large tear where the window maker had parted company from the beech tree.

This is a salutary warning that needs to be acknowledged by all beech woodland owners when permitting the public, family and friends to wander in the woodland and linger underneath these widow making trees.

Ken Hume