Learning to survey trees the Opal way

Trialing The Opal Tree Survey Packs

One  fresh beautiful sunny Friday morning in June, a small team of committee friends met to test out the newly arrived Opal Tree Survey Packs.

The Opal National Tree Survey runs until September and anyone can get involved.

Having previously read through the packs, which comprise of tree measuring tools, informative identification maps and a recording booklet, Chris Hughes Friends Environment Officer explained and then guided us through the step by step process.   Each survey takes around 40 minutes.

All agreeing it was safe to begin with an easy target we settled to survey the 200 year line of Oaks  Trees, the historic tythe map (1840) for Kings Norton shows the field in which they once stood was called Plum Fields, suggesting arable use of the land and the trees helped form a boundary line.

It all looked rather technical at first, but in practice, due to wonderful resources provided by Opal we whizzed through 2 surveys and felt assured we could share our experiences to encourage others to have a go.

The activities resulted in us viewing trees from different perspectives, underneath the canopy, close up to the trunk, at it roots and surrounding ground, from a long distance for general image to inspecting individual leaves.

Claire became quite attached to our tree, appreciating the warmth of the bark and Liz respecting its great stature.

Both our specimens we found to be extremely healthy so with continued care and appreciation from our community and City Parks, hopefully these two great fine Oaks, which have lived to through:

• monastic harvests
• tolls collected on our canals 
• the construction of Kings Norton Railway station
• manual to steam power to high technical advancements in industry
• Cotteridge trams to buses along the redditch road
• the milling of flour and corn replaced by an eatery and petrol station
• the birth of our Civic Park in 1924
• bombs dropping on Wychall Lane
• prefab houses erected along the upper section of Westhill Road 
• watched tennis games and bowls in our former courts

and continue to occupy their space majestically sharing their various degrees of beauty through all types of weather

and hopefully will stand to see our childrens' children and their grandchildren experience the benefits of spending time in Kings Norton Park.

Specimen 1

Our results so far have been shared with the Opal Survey

Results for Specimen 1:

Using identification route map = Oak Tree

Girth (around trunk) = 294 cm

Height = 10 m

Fresh healthy leaves, no browning or yellowing, no pests or diseases no holes in roots or trunk

Moss, Lichen and birds found.

Specimen 2

Specimen 2

Results for Specimen 2 :

Using identification route map = Oak Tree

Girth (around trunk) = 284 cm

Height = 11 m

Fresh healthy leaves, no browning or yellowing, no pests or diseases no holes in roots or trunk.  Signs of dead wood but few fallen leaves, less leaf cover.   Moss, Lichen and birds found.

The survey also provides information on how to report the most unwanted disease to the forestry tree alert.

Our surveying resulted in us seeing trees from different angles, underneath, from a distance, inspecting individual aspects ... we got quite attached!

We would like to survey as many trees as possible in or around our park and playing fields.

If you fancy having a go at carrying out a tree survey

We can talk you through the pack or have a go with you.

You can collect a pack or find out more on

• Friday 5 July at 11.30 am at our first Friday in the month workout or 
• talk to us at the Kings Norton Festival Stall on Saturday 13 July on The Green. 

More information on the Opal Survey at www.Opalexplorenature.org.

Perfect and Amazing Wild About Birds Event

Perfect weather!  Amazing Wild Birds!

This time the weather was really kind to us, it was just a perfect day, sunny with a gentle breeze, long awaited for after the dipping temperatures of April and May.

Cotswold Birds brought along beautiful specimens from the hawk, owl and eagle families and provided handling opportunities for all ages from 11.30am to 2.30pm.

The hi-light was a bird display at 1pm. Off too  a little shaky start as the first bird released was a little disorientated not realising she had left the Cotswold, unfortunately didn't return that day.  She was found the day after, safe and sound in the Wast Hills, a beautiful area on the Kings Norton Worcestershire border, along her flight path home.  Phew!

A hooded hawk was the next crowd pleasing performance.  It gave us an array of crowd pleasing sky diving hunting techniques soaring from great heights to snatch a tasty rodent treat from handler Mike periodically.  Whilst resting in the treats this hawk was harangued by several crows and magpies who gave an extremely noisy territorial display, the hawk very wisely decided not to stray!  Thank you Cotswold Falconry, the birds are obviously very well cared for and the handlers experts in their field, cheers Mike and Mrs Mike, you were both superb.

Lickey Hills Rangers, Steve and Adam worked their magic providing interesting and accessible environmental activities including a make shift bird hide and creations from wood.  Martyn and his colleague from the Royal Society of the Protection of Birds bought along nature books, bird song CD's and survey aids and those who joined were able to build bird boxes.  They spotted this quite rare Beetle Wasp, identified by Steve Hinton.  

Above is  Hannah, NIA apprentice making one of the bird boxes.  Hannah (above will help us later in the year accessing funding to the Nature Improvement Area Funding.

Our chosen charity for this event was the Hedgehog Charity, who set up in a garage in Bromsgrove talked to people about how to care for hedgehogs in their gardens, why we need to care them and what they are doing.

We asked our stall providers to give us a question each to create a quick quiz.  The prize a wonderful Hedgehog Cake, an albino or a brown hedgehog, created by Lynn and Beth

1. What is a baby Hedgehog called?
2. Name the egg in the nest?
3. How heavy is a Bold Eagle?

Two winning set answers 
Two winning sets of answers, below:

1.  Hog let  
2.  Ostrich  
3.  8 1/2 lbs

were pulled from a hat containing all the participants, who had been rewarded on entry with an animal shaped chocolate, were Charlie (trending sunglasses) pictured on the right with this mate below and Chloe pictured below.

The Friends of Kings Norton Tree and Park Trail was a huge success with many correct and interesting answers with some families riding their routes.

Thank you to everyone who came along, helped out and those who participated in the activities and everyone who had fun... and possibly an ice-cream too from Donatello's who provided ices and drinks.

If you would help arrange an activity or an event you are encouraged to contact us and we can work together to bring about the kind of things you and your family would like to see in our park.

This was a free event.   Membership is also free.  Donations are gratefully received.

Why not email your thoughts and experiences about the day and times spent in our park.  We can add you to our email circulation lists which advises of forthcoming events and planning news.

Email:  info.foknp@gmail.com

Tweet:  @kingsnortonpark