Busy planting for the future at Calke Abbey

by Lucy Stephens

RANGERS at Calke Abbey have been helping the future take root by planting 164 new trees.

The planting scheme was grant funded by and designed in partnership with the National Forest Company to increase the wood pasture habitat on the Calke estate

The estate is approximately 1,000 hectares, made up of woodland, wood pasture, hay meadows, wetlands, and tenanted farmland, with acres of this accessible for visitors to explore

Wooden tree guards were installed last summer, ready for the winter tree planting season

A team of volunteer rangers, led by Calke’s rangers, then planted the trees in December and January

Several different species

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10:30am – 3pm | £20.00 ywa e a y and tak oider e of embr wn piec our o e y eatCr were planted, including oak, small leaf lime, sweet chestnut, black walnut, horse chestnut, field maple, and hornbeam The National Trust says that establishing a variety of trees is particularly essential to increase resilience to diseases and climate change; it also reflects the historical planting on the estate ture, supporting hundreds of species ”

Rob Cleaver, forest creation manager at the National Forest Company, said: “Wood pasture is a nationally important habitat For more than a decade we’ve been supporting landowners to create wood pasture and parkland, with the animal welfare, biodiversity and landscape benefits they can deliver ” granted by the National Forest Company has been vital for this work as, without their support, these trees wouldn’t have been planted this year This is crucial as trees take a long time to establish, which is the first step in creating wood pasture

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Area ranger Meurig Palin said: “We have seen several different plant pathogens affect our trees over the years, with the ash dieback we’re currently dealing with being a clear example We don’t know what diseases we may face in the future, so having a good range of species means that our tree population is more resilient to the challenges that may come along ”

The primary focus of the project is growing open grown trees and creating wood pasture habitat, that has been lost across large swathes of the landscape

“Not all trees are of equal value,” Meurig said “A tree that gets to grow in the open can be more valuable than just another tree in a woodland It will have a chance to develop a full canopy and become a veteran tree of the fu-

Experts say that “long lived” trees are particularly significant, as they create niches of habitat including deadwood, small holes, and fissured bark that can accumulate the hundreds of species that live on them

Meurig said: “It’s not just about how many trees can we get in the ground but about how can we create a sustainable lasting legacy that will make a difference in the future ”

The scheme also fits in with Calke’s 50-year vision, which is partly focused on expanding the amount of wood pasture across the estate This is a key habitat at Calke that is particularly nature rich and is the reason Calke Park is designated as a National Nature Reserve Meurig said: “Funding

“We’re delighted to help the National Trust deliver their 50year vision for Calke, with habitat creation and management on a significant scale,” said Rob, adding: “Our grants are designed to be easy to navigate as it really does matter that we take action as soon as possible ”

Similar planting took place last year in the fields near Middle Lodge, which are also in early stages of eventually becoming wood pasture There are also many other significant trees through the parkland that serve as essential habitats to diverse species, including the Old Man of Calke

The ranger team will continue to care for these trees while their root systems are establishing In summer, if there are any long periods of drought, the team will be watering each tree and replanting any that have failed in winter