Last week saw an enthusiastic group of 24 pupils and their teachers from Arnside School planting 300-plus sapling trees on our reserve at Coldwell Bank.
The trees — relatively small native species: crab apple, rowan, blackthorn, elder, hazel and dog rose — were donated by the Woodland Trust. They have been planted in the upper corner of the reserve, where they will serve as screening and edge-softening once they have become established. Provided that we have reasonably damp spring, we would anticipate a good take for most of the saplings.
Currently, the planted area is being protected from stock by electric fencing but we anticipate that owing to the generosity of Natural England we will shortly be able to fence them off with post and wire.
We anticipate a further visit from the school to increase the amount of wood chip mulch around the trees to reduce competition from the rank grasses in the spring.
