Team Science Oxford Dig Deep for Tree Week
Thursday 29th November 2018
Roger Baker, our ecology officer, celebrates National Tree Week with Science Oxford’s slightly soggy team Away Day at Stansfeld Park.
It’s National Tree Week and, like good woodland managers across the country, we’ve been busy getting very muddy planting new trees around our 15-acre site. National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration and marks the start of the winter tree-planting season. It was established by The Tree Council back in 1975 in response to the national replanting required after the outbreak of Dutch Elm Disease.
The woodlands, grassland and ponds at Stansfeld had been largely neglected before the Trust took them on back in early 2017. Since then, we’ve worked hard to bring this vibrant natural space back to life and ready for visitors when the new innovation and science education centres open next year.
Roger gives a demo.. “It’s Easy!…”
This spring we cleared some of the overgrown areas of scrub around the main ponds and this week planted new trees in the gaps to provide further diversity and colour. As part of the annual staff away day, our team got busy in the rain on Tuesday digging in a selection of native trees including Rowan, Cherry, Lime, Wild Service and Field Maple.
Roger adds the final touch ..
The soil at Stansfeld is heavy clay, which made the planting hard work. Many a curse was uttered as the team tried to bed in their tree roots, mix compost and top up with bark chippings! However, cold and bleak November is actually prime planting time for trees as they’re dormant for the winter, plus the ground is nice and soft. Hopefully, all the hard work will be rewarded next spring when we see the fruits (and flowers and leaves) of our labours!
Our Jane clearly modelling the correct footwear for the occasion…
When it’s too heavy to carry, why not ask a friendly Beard builder to help out!
‘It sure is Claggy!!’
“Is it time for tea and baps yet?”
You can read more about National Tree Week here.
Thanks to Landford Trees for supplying our new trees
