This week we returned to the Hedderwick Plantation in John Muir Country Park for a follow-up tree care event, bringing together 12 enthusiastic volunteers to give the young woodland some much needed TLC.
Any tree planting scheme needs a programme of tree maintenance, weeding, watering and on-going protection from herbivores. So, following our tree planting earlier in the year, the focus this time was on weeding, checking tree condition and assessing overall survival. We also wanted to assess the impact of anti-social behaviour one evening some weeks ago that led to minor damage including a significant number of tree guards being removed.
Encouragingly, our initial assessment suggests that despite the dry conditions over the summer around 85% of the trees have survived. Some species have performed particularly well, with field maple, rowan and birch showing the highest survival rates. These early results are encouraging and suggest that a diverse mix of native species is beginning to establish.
Oak, however, has proved more challenging, with noticeably lower survival. One possible explanation is that the young oaks had relatively small root systems when planted, making them more vulnerable to dry conditions during their first growing season. The sandy coastal soils at Hedderwick drain quickly and can quickly become dry, increasing the challenge for newly planted trees.
The maintenance work is an important part of establishing the woodland. Removing competing vegetation around the young trees reduces competition for water, nutrients and light, giving them the best possible chance of becoming established. We plan to come back in November this year to replace the trees that have not survived with species more suited to this site.
Overall this week’s session proved a valuable opportunity to see how the newly planted woodland has responded to its first season in the freely draining soils of this exposed coastal environment. It was also great to see the enthusiasm of all our volunteers whose efforts are helping to give this developing woodland the best possible start.
The next few years will be particularly important. We will continue to monitor survival and growth, undertake maintenance where necessary and learn from how different species perform in this challenging coastal environment.
With over 1,000 new saplings, the restoration of Hedderwick Plantation is a long-term project, but yesterday was another small step towards creating a diverse, resilient, coastal woodland for future generations — and for the wildlife that will call it home. This is a partnership project, part of our Muir to Forth programme led by Balanced Horizon, in this case working in partnership with East Lothian Council Ranger Service. We would also like to thank the Woodland Trust for donating the trees and tree guards.
Please get in touch if you wish to volunteer in the future on this or similar projects. You can contact us at hello@balancedhorizon.org.