A record-breaking 74 Tiverton Tree Team volunteers turned up on February 8, 2025, to help create a new wildlife recovery zone on the banks of the river Exe just outside Tiverton.
At the top of the site, running parallel to the existing Devon hedge, a 200 metre line of hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, dogwood, elderberry, dog rose and crab apple was planted. These trees will soon be providing food, shelter and nesting sites for birds, small mammals and insects.
Below this, windbreak lines were planted running north-to-south (so as to maximise sunlight on the growing trees), along the contours of the hill (to ease picking), of sweet chestnut, heartnut, rowan, hornbeam, alder, cherry plum and silver birch.
Each tree was carefully planted to increase its chances of survival: first a 1/2 metre area was scraped clear of grass (including the roots), then a slit dug and the tree placed carefully in. Each tree was protected from mice, voles, rabbits and roe deer with a 1.8m re-used tree tube guard. Then a biodegradable cardboard mat was put round the tree to kill the grass by blocking the light, followed by a bucket of woodchip mulch put on top to keep the mat in place, provide nutrients to the growing tree and decrease water loss from evaporation.
A group from Tiverton Scouts planted 400 hedge plants around a dead hedge we’d previously created from donated Christmas trees and fallen branches. The living hedge will grow into the dead hedge, very quickly creating a zone for wildlife to live, hide, eat and nest in.
This is also the area where we will hopefully be re-introducing harvest mice this coming Autumn, assuming the habitat is ready. Our mice breeding programme is being led by two young conservationists, Eva and Emily, aged 12 and 13, who are busily breeding the mice, supported by a small grant from the Devon Environment Foundation.
Half-way through the day, scout leader Dan asked the kids whether they’d had enough and wanted to go home and they all shouted “Noooooooo!” So they moved on to digging a pond next to the wildlife hedge, to provide easily-accessible water in the hot summer months for the harvest mice and other small creatures.
Next year, we will plant fruit and nut trees in between the windbreak rows, to provide food for humans going into the future.
Eight singers from the Exeter Climate Choirs helped with tree planting and then serenaded the volunteers at lunch.
Local chef Shirley from ReROOTed Surplus Food Cafe – Tiverton provided homemade soup using ingredients donated by local supermarkets.
The planting design was created by forest garden expert Jenny Hayns.
First aid, thankfully not needed, was on hand in the form of Rosie Wibberley.
Many of the trees were donated by The Conservation Volunteers and the more specialised ones were bought from the Agroforestry Research Trust in Totnes with help from a grant from The Tree Council.
Wood chip was donated by local tree surgeon firm Four Seasons..
Thanks to Sustainable Tiverton Community for providing all-important insurance and support.
An absolutely amazing day. Enormous thanks to everyone who contributed in any way.
PLEA: Much as Tom, Axel and Georgie from @A2C loved walking 24 miles (!!) carrying woodchip, we are in urgent need of a quad bike or ATV or any vehicle that can go backwards and forwards across the site, so if anyone reading this could help us out with cash or a vehicle they no longer need!
