Dunmore Farm: Connecting Hedgerows, Orchard and Woodland Across a Working Cornish Farm

Phase One: Hedgerows, Roundels and Orchard Planting

The first phase involved planting 4,291 trees in total. Of these, 4,132 were hedgerow plants, 159 were planted within the roundels, and 6 orchard trees were planted near the farmhouse.

The new hedgerows were planted along existing fence lines to create better habitat links across the farm. A base mix of hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel was used, with supporting species including crab apple, elder and field maple. Over time, these hedgerows should provide shelter, food and movement corridors for birds, bats, small mammals and insects.

The roundels were a particularly nice part of the project. Each one was 25 metres in diameter and designed to reflect older pockets of tree cover already found in the surrounding landscape. The idea was to create small areas of tree cover within grazed pasture, rather than turn the whole field into woodland.

Each roundel was centred around a larger parkland-style tree, such as oak, cherry or sweet chestnut. Around this sat a layer of flowering and fruiting species, followed by a more browsable outer layer suitable for livestock. It is a simple idea, but a good one: giving the field more structure and wildlife value without taking it completely out of agricultural use.

The orchard was planted close to the farmhouse after some scrub clearance and ground preparation. It was a small orchard, but carefully chosen. Varieties included Cornish Queen, Ben’s Red and Concorde pear, with trees sourced from within three miles of the farm. That local detail matters, especially on a project like this, where the aim is not just to plant trees, but to strengthen the character and resilience of the farm landscape.

How We Delivered the Work

Before planting, we prepared the ground by mowing and strimming existing pasture as low as possible. Some gorse had to be removed from the agreed planting areas, but we were careful not to clear more than necessary. The remaining gorse still had habitat value, so where it was not in the way, it was left alone.

There were a few practical considerations on site. Access was wet and slippery in places, so we had to manage vehicle movements carefully with the truck. There were also water trough pipes running close to some of the planting areas, and overhead cables crossing sections of the existing fence lines.

We marked out clear no-planting zones beneath the overhead cables and made sure everyone on site knew where these areas were. It sounds obvious, but these are the sorts of details that matter. A planting plan might look simple on paper, but once you are on the ground, there are always pipes, wires, gateways, wet corners, livestock routes or existing habitat features that need to be worked around properly.

The roundels were marked out using GPS coordinates, a measuring wheel and water-based line spray, so we could keep the shape and density as close to the design as possible.

The hedgerow whips were planted with canes and spiral guards. The roundel and orchard trees were planted with 1.35m stakes and 1.2m tubes, then finished with a natural woodchip compost mulch around each tree to help suppress weed growth and hold moisture during establishment.

Phase Two: Broadleaf Woodland and Riparian Planting

Following the first phase, we were asked back by the landowner to complete a second round of planting, this time funded through Forest for Cornwall.

This phase was more straightforward in design, but still important in terms of how it fitted into the rest of the farm. We planted 3,806 native broadleaf trees at a density of 1,600 stems per hectare, using stakes and tube protection.

The aim was to extend an area of woodland and tie it into existing hedgerows and older pockets of trees. In time, this should create a denser area of young broadleaf woodland, adding shelter, habitat and long-term tree cover to the farm.

We also carried out riparian planting at the bottom of the farm, where a tributary of the River Fowey runs through the site. This part of the work was about adding cover and diversity along the river edge, while helping the farm hold water for longer during wetter periods.

It was not about forcing a dramatic change onto the site. It was about adding the right planting in the right places, and giving the farm a better connected network of hedgerows, woodland, orchard trees and river-edge habitat.