January 2025: Steyning for Trees
Wednesday 1st January
'What a WONDERFUL way to start 2025 knowing that we have another 7,000 more whips planted as hedges/wildlife corridors /shelter belts, here and around Steyning. SFT have been promoting tree and hedge planting for 6 years now and have already placed 8,000.'15,000 equates to almost 2km. As we said 118,000 miles of hedgerows have been lost in the UK so this is an amazing effort by all concerned. Turning the tide, hopefully on the loss of biodiversity here which correlates with the loss of hedgerows. No 'SILENT SPRING' here. So many gardens being re-natured with butterfly friendly plants, also having mixed species hedges put in as advised on our website, now also containing advice on dead hedges, so helpful to nature.
Here is a selection of what we have initiated and helped with this autumn.
Tom Bower arranged the guest volunteers. Collecting the 1,400 whips from Winchester. A good day had by all.
Wiston Estate. 1km hedge for the Weald to Waves. So good to relieve flooding. Great nature plans for the Estate.
Gatwick. Hedges going in right in the centre of Steyning. Looking after his tall mature trees sequestering so much carbon and planting more. Article on Dead Hedges for SFT website.
We were so sorry the weather was too cold and wet to plant with the Growing Wellbeing Group. We so enjoyed it last year. Hopefully we will again next year.
Catholic Church: completing the third side of hedging - well positioned in the centre of Steyning.
ENORMOUS thanks to all concerned, SFT Committee, Volunteers, Landowners, Farmers, gardeners, our funders, including SDNPA. All the numerous private donations we now have, too many to mention but so much appreciated.