33 We are helping Woodbury WI celebrate their 100th anniversary by planting a lime tree on the village green. Woodbury Salterton will be getting a new crab-apple tree on the land at the bottom of New Way and Exton will be getting a new tree near the Puffing Billy. In December 2019 local farmer Paul Glanvill of Rydon Farm decided to take on the planting of trees in order to help the environment. He identified an area that was difficult to cultivate and set about looking at his options. The result was inspiring. He purchased a selection of 50 native trees from Perry Hale Nursery at Honiton along with tube-guards to protect them from deer.
In one day Paul and his friend Tom Ralph installed the posts and planted the young trees, changing the future face of the landscape. An area of ground that was hard to farm is now the location of 'Higher Headlands Copse'. Trees that were surplus to their requirements were used to fill gaps in the hedgerows nearby. The new trees will grow very quickly. In three to five years’ time they will be established and in ten years’ time they will be looking spectacular. We are really hopeful Paul is leading the way and that other local landowners will follow his example. The new copse will provide nest sites for birds, cover for insects and mammals, and connectivity to other habitats. Woodland can absorb 60 times more rainwater than grassland and so Higher Headlands Copse will help reduce flooding in Exton. Trees absorb and lock in carbon dioxide reducing the effects of climate change. Woodland creation is an essential part of the work we need to do to save our planet. Paul has shown that with a little creative thinking and ingenuity we can make changes and improvements without making huge sacrifices. There is still hope for a bright green future if we all take action now. Please get in touch with us at info@wild-woodbury.org or call Tony Bennett on 07971 082384 with any wildlife issues or stories. Please join our Facebook group Wild-Woodbury and check out our website http://www.wild-woodbury.org to find out more about what we are doing to help our local wildlife. Tony Bennett