Woodland Trust Trees - we make a start on planting them

This week we had been hoping that the older children from Winkleigh Primary School would come to plant some trees donated by the Woodland Trust with funding from Sainsburys.  Unfortunately, this was cancelled at the last minute, due to the need for minimising social contact with others.  So a few adults gathered on Tuesday and again today (Saturday), despite a very cold wind.  We were careful to space ourselves apart to minimise the risk of spreading Covid-19.

The first tree to be planted was a Common Beech (Fagus sylvatica), which needed a larger hole.  Philip got to work with the mattock to clear the ground. This Beech tree was donated by a Winkleigh resident, for which we are grateful.

Using  mattock to clear the grass

The soil is wet from heavy rain, but the other small trees were easy enough to pop into a slot made with a spade.

We have now planted approximately 35 Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus), a shrub which provides food for the caterpillars of the Brimstone butterfly.  Let's hope we can start of colony of these beautiful yellow creatures, which are usually on the wing from March until August.  The females are a pale green, and are sometimes mistaken for Large White.  They lay single eggs on the tips of the twigs, sometimes even before the leaves open in April.  The caterpillar chews tiny holes in the leaf, so it is quite easy to spot them, even though they are exactly the same green as the leaf.  These shrubs were funded by the newly-formed Winkleigh Environment Group.

In addition we planted 15 Hazel and 10 Field Maple.  We are now reaching a situation where most of the spiral hedgerow has plants spaced approximately 1-2 metres apart.  The next phase will be to maintain the area and keep the grass from choking the smaller trees.

Volunteers braving the chill Easterly wind

The leaves are appearing on Hawthorn and Wild Cherry, and some on the Willow.  The first blossom is also just opening on the Cherry.

Wild Cherry planted in 2014

Our next planting is on Sunday 29th March, and we are hoping for warmer weather.  We still have Hawthorn, Downy Birch, Goat Willow to plant.

Spring 2017

2012 Rowan in bloom

On Friday 28th April a group of us went to check on the trees and pull out some of the grasses from their base.  They have grown well already this Spring.  Some of the older trees from 2012 and 2014 are well above head-height.  I think the tallest Rowan is now 8 feet high.  One Rowan has its first flower-head.  Similarly the Red Dogwood has flowers.  These will provide pollen and nectar for insects and later on, berries for the birds.

2014 Red Dogwood with flower buds

We still have two Alder Buckthorn bushes, planted in 2013, which is the food-plant for the bright yellow Brimstone butterfly caterpillar.  This Spring there is no sign yet of any eggs or caterpillars on them.

Alder Buckthorn 2013

In a Biodiversity Area, plants considered as weeds in gardens, have a value.  The dandelions provide early nectar for bees, whereas the dandelion clocks provide seeds for goldfinches, which I have seen in our patch.

Dandelion clock

There are lots of Red Admiral butterfly caterpillars on the nettles, enclosed in their nettle 'tents' and I found an interesting brown spider asleep on a holly leaf - possibly an Orb spider.

Trees planted in 2012 - Progress in Pictures

Don't forget our next tree-planting event is on Sunday 1st December 10-12 noon.
Volunteers of all ages welcome!
 
On 4th November I went to review the progress of last year's tree planting.  For those who have been unable to visit them, here are some photos.

Rowan

Alder Buckthorn

Silver Birch

English Oak

Happily most of them have survived with only a little weeding and watering - thanks to those volunteers who have taken time to care for them.  As you can see the grass and weeds are still high - stiff competition for the trees.

On my visit, I met an allotment holder who had planted the native hedgerow as a windbreak for the allotments.  Their hedge is coming along well, and already has some rose-hips for the birds.

Windbreak Native Hedgerow