Tree Heritage planting a woodland for the future
Tree Heritage have spent time this winter planting a new woodland!
Every single one of those green tubes is a tree guard – protecting hundreds of young saplings. Over 1,500 young, native trees and shrubs were all provided by the Woodland Trust and the team at Tree Heritage spent a week on the ground getting them planted.
There’s a lot more to tree planting than simply digging a hole, throwing the tree in and hoping it will survive…believe it or not, you can even take a qualification in Tree Planting (more than one member of staff at Tree Heritage has proudly obtained their ‘Tree Planting Certficate’) so we know what we’re doing. However, there’s always that one job that throws up an unexpected challenge:
Whilst studying for my Certificate in Arboriculture, I learned about all sorts of threats to newly planted trees from indiscriminate use of weedkillers & strimmers; or stress because of lack of water or not being supported properly with a stake; young growth being nibbled by rabbits and deer. What I never came across was the idea that llamas could invade the planting area?!
Thankfully, our team are prepared to learn new skills in order to get the job done, so they are now ready to herd llamas out of planting areas – should the issue ever come up again?
Having successfully removed the llamas from the area, work on planting could commence:
- Tree delivery separated into groups of species – Alder, Crab Apple, Field Maple, Rowan, Silver Birch, Poplar, Downy Birch, Hornbeam, Oak & Wild Cherry.
- Planting scheme agreed with landowner.
- Stakes hammered into position.
- Trees distributed across site to meet planting scheme.
- Slits cut, saplings planted & heeled in.
- Tree secured to stake with a tree tie and tree guard put in place………….and repeat, for the next 1,499 trees!