7 minute read
Environment
New enterprise to help tackle climate crisis
aN idea discussed over lunch and a glass of wine whilst on a winter holiday in early 2020 has morphed into a new Mendip enterprise being established with the goal of helping companies reduce their carbon footprint through planting native woodlands and restoring biodiversity.
Wanderlands is the brainchild of friends Tim Oliver and Pat Bridgman, both of whom live in Downside, Shepton Mallet, who during the first lockdown designed their proposition. They have ambitious plans to plant 500,000 native broad leaf trees supported by new biodiversity creation across Somerset and other parts of the UK over the next five years, to help businesses and other organisations to offset their Co2 emissions generated by their everyday activities.
Croscombe, between Shepton Mallet and Wells, is at the centre of their first scheme. The village nestles in the steep slopes of a valley. On one side – known locally as Croscombe Hill –Wanderlands have bought 20 acres of marginal farmland which will be restored to become a species-rich meadow of wild flora. The site has been identified as having prehistoric and Romano-British archaeological importance so any tree planting will be kept to a minimum in one specific corner of the field.
Directly across the valley is Paradise Hill, where Wanderlands has begun planting 3,500 trees including chestnut, hazel, oak, birch, wild cherry and sycamore. The new woodland will feature walks, interpretation boards and a picnic area for everyone to enjoy and as an educational resource for schools and the wider public. In an unusual move, every tree will be numbered, photographed and uploaded to the Wanderlands website for people to track online, through their tree tracker app.
The launch of Wanderlands coincides with the pending passage of the environment Bill due for final reading in Parliament this autumn. One of its key proposals is to set out a plan in line with the governments ambitions to achieve their Paris Climate accord commitments to have businesses, companies and organisations to establish and report their carbon footprint and their plans to achieve carbon neutral status. The government has set a target of 2050 for UK businesses to become carbon neutral.
Tim and Pat say Wanderlands partner with independent expert advisors such as chartered environmentalist, ecologists, foresters and land agents to help businesses develop their environmental accountability.
Tim said: “Tree planting and biodiversity creation go hand in hand in order to maximise carbon sequestration and restore the natural environment. Whilst it plays a major part in the solution, it needs to be coupled with other measures such as companies and businesses adopting to replace their vehicle from petrol or diesel to electric as they renew.
“Wanderlands look to provide a full set of options in giving companies solutions, while at the heart of solution will be a need to restore and plant new woodland and create new biodiversity, through flora and fauna. Solutions for businesses have to be pragmatic and commercially sensitive to the needs of business.
He added: “Working with us not only helps a business with addressing their carbon footprint, but it they benefit from delivering a strong brand narrative to a business environmental and social responsibility, a subject which increasingly is top of mind for all consumers.”
Pat said: “Globally, there’s been a proliferation of tree planting organisations in recent years. Obviously, this is a good thing, but we’ve also noticed that unless sites are maintained through dedicated support, planting projects can derail.”
“For us, it was a simple equation: we identify the appropriate land, we secure the right trees for that land, we commit to looking after the trees along with promoting the land’s biodiversity and we do this on a credible, long-term basis for the benefits of generations to come. We only plant in the UK which many of our clients wish for and particularly like that we offer digital tracking – meaning that people don’t need to travel miles to ‘wander’ on a Wanderlands site.”
Forestry director Oli Frost (centre) with colleagues Jim and James on Paradise Hill One of the team’s “key workers”
Pat Bridgman (left) and Tim Oliver on Croscombe Hill
Village acts to replace diseased ash trees
WeSTBURy-subMendip Parish Council has taken action to counter the effects of ash dieback, which is badly affecting the Mendip area. It formed a tree group towards the end of 2020 and 150 mixed replacement trees have now been planted in Lynchcombe Wood.
With generous support from the Tree Council, who provided funds via its Branching Out fund, advice from the Mendip aONB, and assistance from Somerset Wildlife Trust who own Lynchcombe Wood, plans were drawn up for a large-scale community tree planting to take place.
The young plants were successfully delivered to the village in early January, all was ready – then lockdown arrived. Buffy Fletcher, chair of the tree group, said: "We knew we had to get the trees in the ground one way or another, as the bare root stock had already been lifted by the nursery. Unfortunately the seasonal demands of tree planting don't pay any mind to human rules and regulations, so over a series of Zoom meetings we came up with a Covid safe plan."
The group organised the planting in such a way that timetabled visits could be made to the wood. One “bubble” or family group at a time would collect the trees from a central point and check back when their allocation was in the ground and everybody safe and sound.
In that way all Covid restrictions were adhered to, the trees were planted, and about 40 folk– young and old alike – were able to take pleasure in the activity.
Buffy continued: "It's been fantastic that we've found a way for the community to act together, despite all the current difficulties. Mendip is going to be hit particularly hard by ash dieback, but by acting now we can help preserve woodland habitat for both the community and wildlife."
Next steps for the tree group will be to work with local farmers and landowners to help replace more ash trees in the parish, as well as increasing tree cover where possible.
THe Chew valley Plants Trees group say they are aiming to double the tree cover in the Chew valley by 2030.
Up to 40 trees are being planted around the playing fields in Pensford with plans to make a smalll copse for outdoor play and education.
The group is looking for landowners and farmers who would like to add patches of trees to unproductive corners of their fields.
Group member, alex Limberg, said: "The first 1000 oaks have been distributed to local homes including landowners in Pensford, and we’re now looking for people who would be happy to have trees, hedgerows or the infilling of existing hedgerows to be planted on pieces of land large and small, especially areas that are too steep or awkward to be used for agriculture.”
Rotary funds trees
ROTaRy, Nailsea and Backwell have donated a second tranche of 60 hazel saplings to the Backwell environment Trust. Planting was delayed in December as work parties were stopped by the latest lockdown rules.
However, most have now been planted by the trust’s woodland manager, Ian Chambers (pictured).
Winning photo
THISstunning photo of a red throated diver was one of the winners of the Rotary Club of Nailsea and Backwell’s young photographer competition run with Nailsea and Backwell schools. It was taken by Tom Lilley from Nailsea, who goes forward to the next round of the competition with Peter Cowley, from Backwell, winner of the senior prize.
New woodland
a NeWwoodland of 350 native trees is set to be planted at Norton Hill School in Midsomer Norton to create an outdoor teaching space and increase the number of trees locally.
Bath & North east Somerset Council has worked with the school on a successful grant bid to the Tree Council to develop the school’s outdoor learning facilities and create new habitats for wildlife.
Simon King planting trees
