On Sunday the 29th January a group of Cheriton volunteers aided by eight members of the Alresford & Cheriton Scouts planted trees and hedging. This was along the fields of Middle Farm and we would like to thank both Charlie Cheney for giving us permission to use his land and ??? for doing essential preparation to the hedges.
This is part of the Countrywide Tree Strategy and 2050 tree planting programme. The trees are elms suitably bred to be pest and disease resistant. It is a long while since these noble trees graced our countryside and they have been sorely missed.
Before
The sites for the planting are shown here taken in December 2022.
Upper Lamborough Lane at the top of Slaters Field.
Upper Lamborough Lane between the junctions with Hinton Lane & Broad Lane.
View across The Down & Below the Down fields. The hedge for repair is on the left of the picture extending towards Cheriton Wood. The gaps can be readily seen.
After
So there is now a line of 40 trees along Upper Lamborough Lane waiting to burst forth and sway in the wind. There are also 150 hedging plants filling gaps along the boundary of the fields The Down and Below the Down.
The weather was distinctly dreary, with full cloud cover and the odd light sprinkle of rain. However, two and a half hours of digging, plants and protecting with tubes and stakes did the trick. We now await nature to do her magic now.
Laying out the trees, tubes and stakes.
Digging & planting.
Heeling in.
A master class in tree planting.
The scouts getting involved.
Ensuring a solid sapling.
Planting continues towards Cheriton Wood.
The last of the trees going in.
Barry bringing the hedging towards the fields.
Barry giving the details on where the hedging is needed.
The gaps in the hedge.
Off to the gaps.
The hedging whips ready for planting.
A combined task force hard at it.
Working on a gap further along the hedge.
The scouts working hard.
