A Week on the Estate: Dieback Recovery, Thermal Efficiency & Litter-Picking

On the estate, chalara has principally affected the 1997 ash planting. It is estimated that 5% of our 80ha of woodland was infected in up to seven distinct compartments around the estate. Stricken ashes decline slowly and younger trees are more vulnerable. The effects were very visible, including wilting, discolouration and the appearance of death. The fungus has been present in the region since 2013, but our ashes deteriorated markedly from 2019 onwards.

As well as replanting, we mitigated the loss of trees by turning some of the felled timber into new gates and bridges around the estate and using the rest in our biomass boiler. The Woodland Trust estimates that over time, 95% of UK ash trees will die at a cost to the rural economy of £15 billion. We’ll work hard to mitigate our loss and bring our woodlands back to their former glory.

The Saturday Club braved the elements last weekend to tackle a long list of jobs. They filled the bird feeders, cleared leaves at the Old Rectory, started on their first litter-pick and laid bark chippings at the footpath gateways to stop them getting too boggy. They also stacked logs and relocated garden waste to the new compost bin. They certainly earned their lunch.

Sustainability is at the heart of our mission at South Ormsby Estate. We’re turning our ideals into reality with the estate’s rental properties, investing time, money and local expertise into drastically reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and increasing energy efficiency.

We spoke to two experts, Nick Cragg of Cragg Management Services and Tony Cranwell of Links2Lincs, to find out what it takes to make an Edwardian cottage fit for a snug and sustainable future, and to raise its EPC score from an ‘F’ to a ‘C’ or better. Tony also told us what householders can do to boost their own energy ratings, as well as a few things they should avoid.  The article can be found on our ‘Journal’ page.

Finally, January is drawing to a close and on Monday we marked Burns Night. Our resident master distiller Tristan Jørgensen devised some toothsome ways to raise a glass to our friends north of the border. The ‘Burrell’s & Burns’ is a twist on the classic G&T and consists of 50ml of Burrell’s Dry, 100ml of Irn-Bru and plenty of ice and fresh orange. The ‘Abs-Bru-Ni’ is a twist on the classic Negroni. Mix 50ml of Burrell’s Dry, 50ml of Campari and 100ml of Irn-Bru and garnish with a twist of orange. Sláinte!