The start of my woodland and meadow creation journey.

[Moggy]

Hi all

I have just bought three acres of pasture and woodlands near Holsworthy.
My plan is to plant hedges and trees, dig some ponds and create a wildflower meadow.
This will not be a commercial enterprise, only for the enjoyment of restoring land for nature to thrive.
So excited!

[Jane W]

Very best of luck with your adventure, it looks like a lovely piece of land. It's fantastic news to hear of land being managed with wildlife as a priority. Do the trees along the boundary come with the plot?....do you know much about what the land surrounding yours is used for? I mean...will what they do affect you much (spraying etc) or vice versa? What have you observed in way of wildlife already present?

[Moggy]

Hi Jane

Luckily the land all around has been used for hay making (no chemicals used as far as we know) and has all been bought by Woodlands.co.uk to sell to lucky people like me.. They have more for sale right now. There is about an acre of woods, fronted by a line of gorgeous mature oaks (you can see the oaks in previous picture). The woods have not been exploited and are covered in mosses, lichens and hopefully fungi.


I have not seen much wildlife yet but marks can be seen on the trees from deer scratching and there are holes in and around the copious amounts of dead wood lying around. Happy days.

[Donna Cox]

Hi Moggy

That’s wonderful to hear you’ve bought the land to create more wildlife habitat. The site looks great - your portion of the whole block is unfenced? Will your meadow area just be cut for hay? The neighbouring hay fields maybe a good source of green hay if they are particularly flowery. Will be very exciting to see what comes up in the woods and meadow this year. Worth asking the Woodland Trust how the grassland was managed previously.

All the best
Donna

[Jon Valters]

Hi Moggy,
Your project sounds really exciting. I manage a small nature reserve near St Giles on the Heath so I'm not far away. I bought the reserve (and former mill) nine years ago. It used to be a small farmstead and the previous owner - an environmental scientist - established the reserve over 40 years ago on farmland. The reserve has some fairly ordinary flood meadows, deciduous plantations, river and ponds. It was already rich in wildlife when I took over but I'm trying to make it richer still. You'd be welcome to visit if you think it might give you some ideas on what to do - or not to do. I think the reserve was overplanted with trees but others may disagree! Good luck with your project.
Best wishes
Jon

[Moggy]

Thanks Jon

I would love to come and have a look, will let you know when I come down to my meadow. Good to here that you have lots of water. I am passionate about having wet areas as I am from the Somerset Levels and am missing the wildlife that lives there.
I have been talking to other meadows owners (Thanks Donna) and have decided to let the meadow do its own thing this Spring, to see what comes up naturally. I have a covenant to plant 200 trees but will probably do this by making dense hedges, leaving as much meadow area free as possible.
I think that there is probably a wild meadow ready to burst forth, as the land was used for hay making until recently, for how long I do not know

My stream at Dibbons Meadow

[Jane W]

It looks lovely and an ideal proportion of open ground and wooded land ( slight shame you have to add so many trees but your idea of hedges is a good idea).
I personally find the open sunny areas much more rewarding in terms of wildlife.
Really good idea to see what's there already before deciding anything.
I'm guessing that much of your wildlife will be 'passing through' and using you're land part of the time, so need good access. Hope the neighbouring plots don't insist on fencing!
Looks like a wet area/pond/lake could be really valuable. I'm really keen to try and put a pond ( or restore one, as we have one silted up) here. But am slightly daunted!
Good luck. Please keep us posted as you progress.

[Jon Valters]

Hi Moggy,

I love the Levels! I don't visit them often enough.

Yes please do get in touch when you have time to visit. This place has quite an interesting history.

I think your plans sound very sound - it can pay to be patient and see what happens - and to know the site well before making major changes .
All the best
Jon

[Moggy]

Oops, a victim of the winds. The ivy may have acted as a sail. I like ivy but when the tree is an exposed guardian, sheltering the smaller trees behind it, I like it much less.
On the plus side, I now have a nice natural bench to sit on, some firewood and some sheltered new habitat for creatures to live in and around.

[Moggy]

Two hundred trees planted, concentrated at the woodland end of the meadow. All native, pollinator species. Rowan, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Dog Rose, Goat Willow.
Also planted my willow igloo, to be sculpted as it grows.
Mowing sections begun, the long path to degrading the soil fertility is underway.

Deer! Luckily I have planted my tree in 1.2 metre high tubing.