The Woodsman

Historically Cutler´s always had a woodsman present to work in the woods and he would inevitably know every corner of the woods and what went on there through the seasons and over the years. If you read the excerpt from Somerset de Chair´s book "Die? I thought I´d laugh" at the bottom of this blog, the woodsman Black and his family obviously played an important role at Cutler´s in the past. In the 1970´s, 1980´s and 1990´s Bob Ward from Molash was the woodsman who worked for the then owner, Ralph Reed from Chilham. Bob Ward died in 2002 and since then there has been no woodsman present at Cutler´s.
I am therfore very pleased to say that, from September 2011 onwards, Cutler´s will once again have a woodsman (and family) present in the form of Martin and Katey Hugi. Martin and Katey have being working out of an estate in Hertfordshire until recently and have built up a company called Eco Tree Care (http://www.ecotreecare.co.uk/). The estate in Hertfordshire has now been sold and they have had to move on. Martin and Katey share my views on how the future of Cutler´s can be developed in an ecologically sustainable way, whilst still realizing the history and background of Cutler´s and the surrounding area.
They both bring with them the knowledge and experience as well as the machinery and equipment to work the woods and help develop such things as the woodfuel market and the amenity and activity aspects. Martin is also a tree surgeon and Katey an expert in orchards. Their website mentioned above is a mine of information and can be recommended.