Mecca

The second location in Macclesfield to be visited by the Haslington Conservation Volunteers was the private woodland of Mr Raymond Maddock. The area known as Mecca, a former equestrian centre contained trees in a variety of settings.
Hornbeam to provide shelter for sheep in a small pit left over from clay extraction. Colin points to a young example of Hornbeam.

Ray discussed the practical aspects of maintaining woodland, cycles of thinning out young trees - which were then used as fuel for his wood burning stove. Having identified the trees to be removed, all the branches up to head height would be removed and the brash cleared away. This would leave the ground clear when the trees were then felled and cut up, if a tree falls in the wrong direction it is quicker and safer if the ground is clear. In areas where the thinning has taken place the undergrowth rapidly moves in again, providing a cycle of habitats within the wood. Small glades have been left within the woodland to provide light and access - a favourite area to see butterflies, or resting members of the HCV.

Ray had been able to buy many of his thousands of trees from sales at Chelford Market, he became the buyer of last resort where sellers did not want to take their stock home again; this has resulted in a very mixed selection of specimens.
The woodland runs down of reclaimed land towards the Macclesfield canal. This pond full of rushes and reeds is fed from the wood and spills over into the canal.