As part of our continued efforts to restore and create habitat at Stone Circle Livery we have planted another 2450 trees this season. You can see all the areas of planting in the pictures below. Trees provide natural windbreaks, pesticide barriers from neighbouring farms, boundaries, hedgerows and woodland. They also enable us to create new bridleways and interesting riding areas. Amazingly, it can only take 3 years for the form and shape of the new planting to make a real difference.
This year, Stone Circle Livery partnered with the Kent Men of the Trees and accepted a donation of 1,500 trees for new planting. The Kent Men of the Trees is a long established charity dedicated to enhancing Kent through tree planting. In addition to the donation we harvested 950 willows from our own stocks to create new Willow banks and hedgerows.
This year we have planted 950 Willows, 200 Wild Cherry, 200 Alder, 200 Turkey Oak, 200 Hazel, 200 Mountain Ash, 200 Ash, 200 Silver Birch and 200 Hornbeam. The planting took place over 4.5 days using 3 people in total.
REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF OUR LIVERIES
Through planting trees we are helping our liveries offset their ‘Carbon Footprint’. Our carbon footprint reducing strategies for our liveries includes using some of the profits and directing them in to planting programmes. Although we are certified as fully organic and adopt planting to meet certification criteria we have to go a lot further to help reduce carbon impact. Tree planting is one of the best ways to offset carbon.
THE SOURCE OF OUR TREES
Our tree stocks come from Hopes Groves Nurseries based in Tenterden, Kent. We have found the quality of the plants to be superb and only have the highest regard for the service and attention to detail that they offer. Give them a call if you have any questions about planting hedgerows, woodland or ornamental features. The advice is free and excellent.
FUTURE PLANTING
The large areas of woodland have been planted at Stone Circle Livery. Now the real task is to create and maintain the hedgerows. Hopefully at the next planting season in winter of 2008/09 we will focus on creating natural paddock divisions. There is a single run of new hedgerow required and we estimate that it will take a total of 2700 trees to complete. So, another busy season ahead.
Stone Circle Livery is ‘Kent Environment Business of the Year 2007/8’ Winners of ‘Pioneering Rural Land Management 2007/8’
HOPES GROVE NURSERIES: http://www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.uk
STONE CIRCLE LIVERY: http://www.stonecirclelivery.com
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