SUNDAY 15 JANUARY 2023 - TREE PLANTING

There are two areas of our wood that, in the last few years, had a lot of poorly and dangerously aged trees so they had to be safely cut down, leaving wide open clearings. In 2022 we replanted what we call area 1 and this year we secured more funding to replant area 2! Thanks to our committee member Roger for hard work on that funding application.

Five of the committee, plus a family member roped in, turned out to get the trees in the ground quickly after they were delivered and at their best. The soil is sandy in general (hence the name Sandy Lane!) but each year when leaves fall, they break down into a beautiful mulch and this area had been untouched for 30 years! It was bouncy and soft to walk on and smooth and fun to dig into. We had 4 small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) which is much less common in England than it used to be, and 8 field maple
(Acer campestre) in a standard size, so once planted they made an instant visual impact on the area.

Maple is a native tree that can tolerate a range of soil and light conditions so they should get on well, they’re also resilient to disease and all the trees were fitted with guards and mulch mats to improve their chances of survival. It was a pleasure to be involved in the regeneration of this unique woodland and we will enjoy seeing the trees grow, for the benefit of our children and their children.