Duchy College asked The Habitat Restoration Co. to assist in the implementation of an agroforestry tree planting scheme on the college’s Future Farm Project.
Agroforestry Planting Scheme
Client brief
We were contracted by Duchy College to assist in the implementation of an agroforestry tree planting scheme on the college’s Future Farm Project. The farm is the first of its kind in England and aims to improve efficiency, technological advances, and welfare in dairy farming.
In conjunction with a planting plan provided by the Woodland Trust, we were contracted to plant 3 rows of trees in the ‘Smiths Field’. This helped to support the current grazing regime and create grazing paddocks for the 200 dairy herd on site. The main objectives of this project were to improve soil health, create a browsable outside row of foliage, and supply shade and shelter for grazing livestock.
The plan included 3 rows of trees within each main row. The outside rows were to be coppiceable browse lines and wind shelters consisting of goat willow, hazel, rowan, and aspen. The middle row was a central row of standard trees intending to provide long term shelter and timber products, which consisted of English oak, field maple, walnut, wild cherry and silver birch.
THRC solution
Guided by the planting plans and maps of the site, The Habitat Restoration Co. set about working with the Future Farm manager and project lead at Duchy, to begin implementing the project. We first planted the standard trees in the allotted 10m spacings throughout the central rows. These were complete with 1.6m plastic-free tree guards and supportive stakes giving us the main framework of the planting scheme. We then set about planting the browsable hedgelines to run alongside in 1m spacings and these were complete with 60cm tube guards and stake supports.
End Result
Our team worked efficiently and thoroughly to ensure all tree species were correctly planted and all spacings were adhered to properly. Negotiating water troughs, gas lines & steep contours, our tree planting crew fulfilled the brief without any issues or problems.
We look forward to regularly returning to the site to see how the agroforestry scheme establishes itself and how well it works with regular grazing cattle.
Duchy College now has a new divided paddock to run their dairy herds in. This provides the ecological and environmental benefits that planting native trees correctly can provide.
Interested in how The Habitat Restoration Co. can help you in your next project? Get in touch and speak to our friendly team today.