Trees report for winter 1998–99: total reaches 25,000

Ian Rands

6 men, some holding spades, stand in a field next to one of many newly-planted trees. In the distance in Glastonbury Tor. The man at the far right is surrounded by three small children. — The 25,000th tree—February 6, 1999. Left to right: John Brunsdon, Richard Raynsford, Ian Rands, Alan Fear, Derek Hankins, Brian Fouracres and family.

Main project: 1,000 trees at Kestrel Wood, Parbrook. Also at Parbrook, 400 trees at Sunnyside Farm. 25 oaks and ashes planted in the hedgerows on Pennard Hill at East Pennard. 35, mainly ash, to replace loses in Banbury Lane Wood at Butleigh.

Replacements and repairs to oak row at Wick and beeches on Wick Hill, oaks at Alleyshovels and the Street road, and the cedar avenue at Butleigh.

Thank you to Neil Bannell of West Bradley for donating 70 young forest trees.

Cider-apple orchards: 30 trees on the north slope of the Tor with National Trust, and 55 to south of the Tor with the Fouracreses.

Cider orchard by old engine shed at Pylle Halt: 28 trees in four varieties.

Thank you also to Julian Forsey of Butleigh, who has replanted the copse there and replaced and repaired the oaks.

During the second day’s planting of the Cinnamon Lane orchard, we came to our 25,000th tree since the Conservation Society was formed. The photograph shows some of the workers celebrating with a drop of champagne. (Not a word to the French about drinking their special drink from plastic mugs!)

Willows on the Brue

Martin Blake

Three members of the committee and one friend cut and planted 40 willows along the north bank of the Brue — the stretch where the Kennard Moor Drove, off Cinnamon Lane, runs alongside the river for 600 yards — on March 4.

It was just about the coldest wettest morning of the month. John Morland arrived first on Watchwell Drove to cut the necessary pitchers from the trees planted by the society some years ago. He was joined by Palo and myself, and we sharpened the end of each cutting. We then carried them in our cars to the riverbank, where John Brunsdon joined us.

The ground was very soft and damp, and we had no great difficulty in planting about 30 tall withies and a dozen short stumps at intervals of 20 to 30 yards. Later we can fill gaps if we think it right.

The secretary of Glaston Moor Fishing Club, Mr Ogden, is most supportive, and so we hope our fisherman friends will keep an eye on the young trees and stop vandals. This is the fulfilment of a longstanding dream to line another stretch of the river with trees, and we are grateful to the Environment Agency for giving us permission.