Trees for the Chew Valley
As the end of the planting season approaches, organisations are seeking sites for their remaining trees to be planted.
Chew Valley Plants Trees received another kind donation of whips from John Tarlton via Bristol Tree Forum – Oak, Rowan, Silver Birch, Sycamore and Wild Cherry, 130 in total. John seemed rather surprised that I had arrived by bicycle but I managed to fit them all in my paniers before wobbling up the hill.
From Bristol they travelled to Hinton Blewett to be heeled in until a permanent home could be found for them. It didn’t take long for some takers to arrive, the first of whom was Jo Haywood from Norton Malreward. When Jo moved to her 2 acre plot 25 years ago, it was known as ‘the prairie’. Since then, Jo and family have planted over 600 trees, starting with the boundaries of the land to create a windbreak.
Jo Hayward
Jo advised that ‘as far as wildlife is concerned, vast areas of Chew Valley are a green/brown desert. We see planting trees or leaving land to be wild as one of the best things we can do to improve our biodiversity’.
Our plant is mostly native deciduous trees with an area given over to a forest garden where we have fruit or nut trees like quince, almond and medlar’. By planting pockets of woodland, Jo has transformed the environment. ‘The air is now still and filled with bird song. We see linnets, tree creepers, goldfinch and even a kingfisher at our new pond’.
The 100 trees Jo collected will be going into a new hedgerow to create a wildlife corridor joining up two areas of woodland.
Colston Gay
Next to arrive was local organic farmer Colston Gay who we were meeting to discuss hedge planting and natural regeneration plans on the land we rent to him. I am pleased to say that he went away with some oak, silver birch and cherry to plant at North Widcombe Farm and the area farmed for Chew Valley Dairies.
I heard my field neighbours passing on their horse and waved them down to ask if they would like any whips. Teresa and Stewart Bowler came later and collected 3 Wild Cherry Trees. Stewart explained they would be planted in the hedge in front of the stables. ‘We would like to put a few more trees in hedges to replace some that are reaching the end of their time and we think it’s important to provide habitat as well as being environmentally good sense’.
Word spread and Jo’s friend Kate Callaghan later dropped by to collect some whips.
Teresa & Steward Bowler
‘We try to plant some trees every year, somewhere between three and fifty, and we had two come down in the storm a couple of weeks ago. ‘
‘We would normally plant older trees but saw no reason not to have a go with the whips. Apart from the orchard, nearly all our trees are beech so I chose some different species to provide variety. I’m intrigued to see how they get on!’.
Want to get involved too?
If you have a space in your garden or on your land and would like to plant a tree, we have the following whips available that can be planted before the end of March - Alder, Downy Birch, Silver Birch, Rowan, Sycamore and Oak.
Or we can keep them for you until the next planting season (November 2022). You can contact us on chewvalleyplantstrees@gmail.com to arrange collection/ drop off.