Over 200 local schoolchildren, scouting and other community groups have been involved in planting new hedgerows, orchards, woodland and wood pasture on land at Green Farm, next to Monkwood nature reserve near Hallow, north of Worcester.
Celebrating 5271 trees and 5700 volunteer hours at Green Farm
Tree planting at Green Farm by Yasmina Ashcroft
5271 trees have been planted and over 5700 hours contributed as a project to expand a woodland nature reserve and connect local communities to nature comes to an end.
Common whitethroat by Simon Pugsley
The Reaching Out to Ancient Woodland project, run by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, not only connected local people to nature but is already having a positive impact on local wildlife. Volunteer surveys across Monkwood and Green Farm show that abundance of birds has already increased by 120% in just two years.
Dominique Cragg, the Trust’s member of staff responsible for the management of the nature reserve, explained “Buying the land at Green Farm was an opportunity that we just couldn’t miss and we’d like to thank all our funders, in particular The National Lottery Heritage Fund, for making it possible.
“In essence we’ve turned back the clock – restoring wildflower meadows, replanting lost orchards, recreating woodland and reinstating hedgerows. In doing all of this, this beautiful patchwork of different habitats has brought together more than 700 people across the local community, from schools and parish councils to scouts and care farms who have helped on our site and improved their own patches.
“We’ve created just under four hectares of new woodland, planted 230m of hedge, laid 350m of hedges and planted 5271 trees with biodegradable tree guards and wooden stakes.
Cuckooflowers at Green Farm by Dominique Cragg
“Everyone who volunteered with us learnt new skills and took away those skills to put to good use on their own land. We taught students from Wildgoose Rural Training, for example, how to coppice wood from neighbouring Monkwood and then brought in a trainer to teach them how to create wooden hurdles to protect trees at Green Farm and on their own nature reserve in Hallow.
“It’s been a fantastic project to work on with everyone being delighted at what we’ve been doing and so enthusiastic to get involved.”
Apple tree planting with Wildgoose Rural Training
Birds, bats and mammals appear to be benefiting from the work. The project made it possible to carry out wildlife surveys, which discovered Bechstein’s bats at Monkwood for the first time. Kestrels have been spotted hunting over the fields for the first time, indicating an increase in numbers of small mammals.
Whilst many bird species have seen an increase in numbers, others have appeared for the first time; a stonechat was recorded for the first time in the long grass of the newly planted orchard, a habitat that didn’t exist before the Trust’s management started.
The land at Green Farm was bought with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Severn Waste Services, The Banister Charitable Trust, 3dtotal.com, the LG Harris Charitable Trust and generous donations from Trust members and the public.
Dominique added “After lots of planning, it’s been brilliant to see this exciting project unfold. We’ve still got lots to do but, in some instances, we can sit back and wait to see how the landscape changes over time. Hopefully, all the children and community groups will come back and see the fruits of their labour grow for many years to come.”
