Conservation is often a very long process where you may not see the results for years. Renovating the hedges on the Powderham Reserve is one of these. Last year we laid about one quarter of the hedges and this year we completed a bit more. As the hedges have not been maintained for a while there are not many trees mature enough to lay. So this year we planted 200 small trees on the hedge banks around one of the fields. The volunteer work party planted 50 and the Brownies planted another 150 last weekend.The trees were planted carefully to ensure that there was no air around the roots.Canes were added to support the stems and guards put on each little tree to deter rabbits from eating them. All being well about half will survive and flourish and in about five or six years they will be readly to lay.
When they'd finished planting trees Barry and Tanya took their billhooks and loppers and finshed laying the last corner of the hedge.
Whilst Barry and Tanya were hedgelaying David and I burnt the last of the brash. So now the field is ready for ploughing and planting Spring Barley in the spring.