A small group of us spent a few hours over two days checking on the trees that were planted 2 years ago and replacing some that had not survived. The survival rate seems very good, and no doubt has been helped by the posts and tree guards used when the woods were first planted. There were signs of some deer and sheep damage and some trees needed to be strapped back into the tubes. Several trees in the boggy area also needed to be replaced with more alder.

Replacing lost trees has also given us the opportunity to include some ‘understory’ species that were omitted from the original planting, with Hawthorn and Blackthorn being used to replace Willow and Birch where they had failed. Overall, the woods are looking very healthy and as the shoots start to emerge from the tubes it is really taking shape. It will be exciting to visit again to see the buds bursting forth in the spring.

Trees planted: 5x Blackthorn, 4 x Hawthorn, 4 x Hazel, 6x Willow