4 minute read
On the Verge and Trees for Seaford
oN THE VERGE ANd TREES FoR SEAFoRd – RENATuRiNG SEAFoRd
Rewilding?
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New year – new plan. We’ve been talking about increasing biodiversity in Seaford for a year now, and we often use the word ‘rewilding’. To me, ‘wilding’ is the fantastic work being done at the Knepp Estate, where the only land management is controlling the number of horses, pigs and cows that wander round the site at will, cutting the grass, pruning the bushes and rooting the earth around in search of food!
You may be relieved to know we have no plans to bring cattle to the Martello Fields, or pigs to root through your grass verges. We do want to work with our partners to thoughtfully and sensibly manage our green spaces to bring more nature back to Seaford. From now on, we will be using the words ‘renaturing’ and hope this gives a better idea of what we are doing. We particularly want to attract insects, especially pollinators including bees, hoverflies and butterflies. This should also increase the number of birds in our town, and make it more attractive to people too!
Just leaving small areas to go completely wild would not necessarily maximise the biodiversity anyway. This was proved in the interesting BBC programme ‘The British Garden, Life and Death on your Lawn’ by Chris Packham. Leaving areas untended can also result in only tenacious ‘weeds’ and brambles, that would discourage people from enjoying our green spaces.
New Trees
During this Winter ‘Trees for Seaford’ volunteers have been helping to plant trees all around town. Regular volunteer Frances told us, ‘For me it is a dream come true to see my road lined with trees. It was actually rather a nice way to meet my neighbours and good to feel so supported by the tree planting group.’ Another resident was so thrilled that she made a donation and offered to water four trees when required. New trees really are a fantastic symbol of hope for the future, in a year of so much personal sadness and loss, and growing awareness of the climate emergency.
SEA launch and ‘on the Verge’ video
Recently SEA opened a fantastic Climate Hub in Seaford, which gives a base for groups in Seaford including ours. We were delighted when a film student asked to make a short film during the Hub opening day about On the Verge. Do watch it if you can. Many thanks to Maya Dodwell, and Screen and Film School Brighton for this lovely film. Big thanks too for the people in our growing community for taking part. Their words really say it all.
‘I’ve been involved in meadow making at the local primary school, Annecy School. We scraped off a whole bank with rakes and planted yellow rattle and native meadow plants. We also helped the younger children to plant some apple trees, so they now have an orchard, which will hopefully inspire some of them to grow their own food.’ Lara from Seaford Environmental Alliance.
‘We plant trees and wildflowers so that we can improve the environment and see if we can make a change... and save the world from climate change.’ ‘If we don’t plant trees...then there won’t be enough trees in the world to sustain all life on earth.’ ‘If you chop down trees it’s like chopping down a living thing because
Students from Annecy primary school.
‘We’re a smallish town. If we can’t make a change where we live, how can we affect a change in our world? When people are more in touch with nature, then they start to care about it. If you don’t experience nature, then it’s something you’re detached from.’ Karen from Friends of Sutton Downs group who are planning an orchard and community planting schemes at the Downs Leisure Centre.
‘On the Verge really started in Lockdown when people really started appreciate their local green spaces. We wanted to do more to try and connect these green spaces and connect people with their green spaces, and make more space for wildlife in the town. If we learn to understand something and to value it, then we want to save it.’ Margery from Trees for Seaford and On the Verge.
‘We’re also hoping to raise awareness among people, so that people are taking action, and we learn together about how we can mitigate the effects of climate change’. Dinah from On the Verge and Seaford Environmental Alliance.
wishing you all a wonderful 2022, full of nature, hope and happiness.
https://www.seafuture.org/on-the-verge/ https://treesforseaford.wordpress.com/ https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6Fo50bBWcB8&t=1s (or search for Maya Dodwell on youtube)
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