The Final 200

5th Feb 2021:

Some days are bright sunshine, some are crisp and cold. However, most of the time we’re out planting in a thin grey mist, light rain, waterlogged mudbath :-)

My greatest revelation so far has been a pair of rather fine gloves (thanks Santa…). Almost like a set of leather armor for my hands. All dexterity is lost, though the trade-off is worth it for the protection from the elements. I can spend a day out planting in the mud yet have (reasonably) warm and clean hands throughout.

I’ve been planting alder buckthorn today. Only 25 - spaced out across the whole woodland. We now have a total of 1200 in the ground with ‘only’ 200 left to go - starting to feel like we’re almost done…

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Into Lockdown Again

7th Jan 2021:

Once more into national lockdown. Like many families across the UK we are quickly adjusting our plans - discussing how to divide up our day and reinstate the ‘School of Lund’ for our two boys. Planting time has been reduced to an hour or two before the sun sets each day, a window for planting maybe 15 to 25 trees if weather permits.

We are incredibly fortunate to have access to such a wonderful open space during this time. A daily routine that includes time out in the elements planting a woodland for the future is incredibly fulfilling - a tonic for the body and soul.

We’re currently approaching the half-way mark with over 500 trees now planted and it has started to look like we’re making some progress. The latest addition is the willow - mainly in the muddy swamp of the top wet corner of the field. Our boys (making a rare appearance!) helped me to break the ice before sinking the willow whips into the gloop. Maybe it will be remembered as ‘lockdown corner’….

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Winter Sunshine

29th Dec 2020:

During the festive season the weather has been so amazing that I’ve not been able to resist the odd hour here and there planting trees. Having gained some ‘confidence’ on the smaller shrubs, I’ve moved up some of the larger varieties - hazel and oak. Making use of the biodegradable mulch mats and pegs.

Our boys have ventured out a couple of times to lend a hand. Despite the sunshine they’ve found it a tad chilly and wandered back in to the warmth of the fire. A few friends joined us planting before Christmas. Wonderful to have some company, and somehow puts the whole project into perspective to spend time with other people in amongst the trees.

Planting Begins!

21st Dec 2020:

The stakes are laid out across the field. All have been colour coded with elastic bands to mark out what goes where. The time has finally come to plant some trees…

First in line is the holly. Everything else came bare rooted, whereas the holly plants came in small plant pots. By planting holly first I was free to plant just a few rather than committing to a whole bundle of 25. As it happens, once I’d begun I couldn’t stop - it was strangely addictive and all 25 holly were planted, the last going in as the light faded.

I’ve started with the minor species - the shrubs and smaller trees using the smaller the stakes. I only have 1000 mulch mats, so 400 shrubs will be taking their chances without the added protection. Planting without mats in the lovely warm and still weather is a fairly quick affair and I already have 125 planted- woohoo :-)

Layout of the Field

17th Dec 2020:

Being new to tree planting I had no idea what 1400 trees will look like. So I decided to stake out all the stakes in the field before planting. I realised just how big a number it is! It also made me realise it would be a good idea to make all the decisions about what goes where before breaking the trees out of the veg plot. But how to mark up the stakes?

Coloured elastic bands! Correct numbers of colour coded combinations counted out into plastic bags, then several days wandering round the field marking out what goes where. It’s been helping me learn about the trees and shrubs - sizes, shapes, colours, combinations. I reckon I’ll be done by Friday. So hopefully next week I’ll actually plant a tree or two!

They've arrived...

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‘It won’t look like much!’ the gent who delivered the trees warned me before opening the van. 1400 trees wrapped up in 6 plastic bags - he was right :-)

They are now heeled in to our vacant veg plot to keep them safe until ready to plant out.

The biodegradable mulch mats have turned up, along with vole guards. Dan, who lives nearby, had planted a few hundred trees a couple of years ago and lost a number to voles chewing through the base of the trees. He’s been using vole guards since and mentioned they seemed to work well - so we thought best to follow his lead. So we are all set, ready to go. I’m actually quite nervous! Feeling a sense of responsibility about what goes where. Someone recently mentioned the best way to think about it is that nature will end up taking its course whatever we might choose to do - just set the ball rolling and it will all work itself out. Sounds good to me…

Woodland Trust - they say 'yes'!

27th Nov 2020:

Hurrah! The Woodland Trust ‘MOREWoods’ scheme is aimed at helping people plant trees and increase the woodland in the UK - we’ve just had final confirmation that they will help by part-funding our project - VERY exciting! An order has just been placed at Thorpe Trees for 1400 trees and shrubs, ranging from oak to lime, beech to rowan. Looks like delivery will be in the next few weeks, so I reckon you’ll know where to find us over Christmas…

Seed-to-soil

26th Nov 2020:

Panda offered to squish the seeds into the soil - sounded like a good idea. Looking at the results it does appear to have drastically improved the seed to soil contact. We’ll just have to wait and see…

One Man Went To Sow...

23rd Nov 2020

As the sun crept across the beautiful blue sky, I resolutely marched up and down our back field cranking the handle on a small seed spreader. 11 miles. 4.3 acres - twice over. Now all we need to do is wait a year (or two).

Many thanks to Alwyn of nearby Home Farm for his guidance, a bag of yellow rattle seed (that he had hand collected from his woodland) and loan of his trusty spreader (chewed mouse-holes well taped up..)

And we're off!

19th Nov 2020: We’ve recently had confirmation that The Woodland Trust will consider part fund the creation of woodland here at The Lund. After many years of vague ideas of how this all might work, we’ve decided to just jump into the unknown and see where we go… VERY exciting!

The land is a field behind Lund Studios belonging to Debbie’s mum. After many years of renting for grazing she has decided to make the leap of faith to converting to woodland that we can all benefit from. We’re lucky to know Alwyn, a local legend in the world of re-wilding. Having recently planted over 70 acres of his own land with mixed native trees he has a wealth of knowledge that he’s passionate to share in order to encourage more local woodland.

Our thoughts are about creating a woodland that invites people in. With this in mind the planting density will be low and include paths, glades and runs filled with natural wildflower. So, before any thoughts of planting trees we’re looking to sow some native wildflower meadow. Ideally this would have been down before the end of October… we’re a couple of weeks late, but we’re going to give it a go.

Neighbour - Panda - came up trumps with a tractor small and light enough to avoid sinking in the soft mud at the bottom by the beck. An assortment of harrows to choose from (which Panda admitted might be best suited to a farming museum!) meant that he was able to choose one to rough up the grass - exposing some earth while avoiding ripping up all the turf, despite the wet conditions.