Since forming in 2019, we’ve focused much of our efforts on woodland, scrub and hedgerow creation, putting each project through a careful consultation and design process, to ensure we’re planting only the most suitable areas, using only the most suitable species mix.
Yes, we love trees, but only in the right place: Our long-term vision is a connected mosaic of healthy habitats, and we’re excited to watch these take shape…
Fremington Edge
Over the summer, every single one of the 28,700 trees planted on Fremington Edge was hand weeded, re-secured and surveyed. Once totted up, our total losses amounted to 9,433. More than we’d hoped for? Yes. Disaster? Not necessarily…
The drought of June 2023 meant soaring mortality rates at new plantations across the region, and we were actually quite impressed that as many survived—on our dry, exposed, thinly-soiled, upland site—as they did. There are unexpected benefits of the resulting lower density too: More natural-looking open spaces, increased opportunity for a higher biodiversity of ground flora and natural regeneration; and of course, less longer-term woodland maintenance eg thinning out, once the canopy starts to close. We’ve also seen a return in breeding pairs of raptors (including peregrine falcons and kestrel), identified burgeoning new communities of plant life, and captured an array of interesting species via our strategically-positioned wildlife cams. All positive indicators of a blossoming new habitat.
So, maybe the losses are just nature correcting our course? After all, with 19,267 saplings alive and kicking, the future still looks very promising for our two year-old woodland.
Lower Slopes
Our trusty planting crew are back on site this week, removing surplus materials from Fremington Edge (see above), ready to reuse below the bridleway in a brand new scheme. This project is a useful illustration of the mosaic of habitats we’re seeking to create: We’ve divided the area into 12 different compartments, and customised the planting spec for each—based on its own particular topography, vegetation, and existing tree cover.
Lessons from the Fremington Edge plantation have also played an important role in our approach. We’re planting much earlier in the season, and using cell grown rather than bare whip saplings, in the hope of increasing their survival rate. We’re also trialling a Forestry England-approved method of ‘cluster planting’ to create our wood pasture—planting saplings very closely together in order to stimulate growth and suppress competing vegetation. Watch this space!
This planting scheme is 100% funded by the White Rose Forest via their Trees for Climate funding programme, part of Defra’s Nature for Climate fund. The White Rose Forest is the Community Forest for North and West Yorkshire. www.whiteroseforest.org.
Plant like a Pro
Fancy learning the tricks of the trade from some real tree planting pros? Join us for a special ‘planting skills’ volunteer day on Saturday 19th October, led by our professional planting crew, Fellside Forestry. This team has been heading-up large-scale tree planting projects across the North East and Scotland, for more than a decade, and will be sharing all they know as we work together on creating an area of wood pasture close to the footpath. Whether you’re a total novice or an old hat, we’re sure you’ll leave with a few new ideas!
‘Plant like a Pro’ volunteer event, Saturday 19th October, 10am-1pm @ Heggs Farm. Please email heggs.castle.cluster@gmail.com to reserve your place.
Heggs-Castle Renaturing Project 