Tree Planting

Insights

At Cow Close Farm, we are actively looking to support and develop habitats for nature to flourish. Alongside digging new ponds, expanding our orchard and looking after our bees, we are also creating new woodland. According to the Forestry Commission “woodlands offer a unique and diverse habitat that thousands of species call home … Trees not only support wildlife, they help sustain healthy ecosystems, maintain climate regulation, and protect soils – playing a major role in aiding nature’s recovery” and we think they are wonderful and important things. Earlier this year, we started on what will be a 30-year journey at least, and one that we hope will last 600 years!

What are we doing in practical terms?

One of our fields at Cow Close Farm is bordered on two sides by ancient woodland – part of it running through our land alongside our stream, and part of it surrounding the Linacre Reservoirs. Ancient woodlands are defined as woods that have existed since at least the year 1600 and they “cover only 2.5% of the UK. Sadly, up to 70% of ancient woodlands in the UK have already been lost” and so we want to expand that incredible habitat. The way in which we are doing that is to blend two different approaches; natural regeneration of the surrounding woodland and direct planting of similar species of trees in similar proportions to those on our borders. Over the winter, we had ‘Rewilding Field’ enclosed by fencing, to keep the number of deer and hares in there down to a minimum as both species have a tendency to nibble young trees. That field covers about 2 acres (8,000m2) and roughly 1.5 acres will be left to naturally regenerate into woodland, while the 0.5 acres in the centre – which will take the longest to naturally regenerate as it is furthest from the surrounding woodland – has been planted with 200 trees. 

In neighbouring, ‘Barn Owl Field’ we have planted a further 0.25 acres with 100 saplings. The new trees include oak, hazel, rowan, holly and more that reflect native and neighbouring species.

You will see in the photos here that each sapling is protected by a tree guard. We thought long and hard about how best to create new woodland and how to give the directly planted trees the best chance of success. Given the number of hares we have on Cow Close Farm, we chose to enclose each sapling in a tree guard that is both biodegradable and compostable, and that we will remove in five years’ time, if not before. We are well aware of the unsightly and polluting nature of plastic tree guards, so have intentionally sought out the best option to provide vital protection with the best for the environment. Without the tree guards, we suspect that the vast majority of the trees would not survive their first couple of years.

Watch this space for how things develop over the coming years. It will take 30 years to create an immature woodland, which may then last for centuries. Oak trees may live for 1,000 years, although 600 years is more typical – so we are in this for the long-term!

Steve Coles
Steve is the Managing Director and one of the co-founders of Wild & Other.

Keep Exploring…