Sunday’s Tree planting
Thanks to a lot of last minute effort, and despite an ominous weather forecast in the build up to the weekend, our Tree Planting Day went very well last Sunday!
We were only drizzled on a few times and it wasn’t too windy so we accomplished a lot with the enthusiasm of approximately 30 volunteers – of all ages – who turned up over the course of the day.
Everyone made a valuable contribution, with the result being 7 oak trees safely planted and staked in their shelters, and a new copse of 61 saplings planted, staked and protected.
The saplings are a mix of silver birch, bird cherry, common alder, rowan and hazel and will add extra diversity to the trees in that area of The Howe. They’ll also provide valuable habitat and food for the many small mammals, birds and insects who live on our land.
Many trips back and forth between the planting areas and the compost and mulch heap were made, the Howe tractor played its part despite a couple of “stuck-in-the-mud” moments. Hot drinks and home baking was, as ever, a key force in keeping everyone going – it’s amazing how good a cup of coffee tastes when you’re working outdoors, and of course a few pieces of flapjack and the odd biscuit help feed the muscles too!
The mood was upbeat and it was a rewarding day for everyone. The combination of being outdoors, doing physical activity, meeting new people, and doing something for the greater good is a pretty wonderful thing.
All out thanks to everyone who helped make it such a lovely day!
If you’d like to get involved up at The Howe then we’ve a few upcoming tasks on the land which include:
• Building a new fence in Cripps field (horse paddock)
• Building a new fence in Tombs field to protect the new saplings (bottom field)
• Adding further mulch around the new oak trees
• Cutting back brambles in various locations across the Howe
Our next Volunteer Work Day is Scrub Bashing 10th December 10am-4pm. We’ll be working for the first time together with, and under the guidance, of the Oxfordshire Conservations Volunteer Association. So we’re hoping we’ll have a big group to help us liberate a few fences and trees from the brambles which are currently swamping them.
If you’d like to get involved and help on any of our volunteer days then we’d love to here from you!
Interested? You can sign up here via this website
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