Reimagining the Levels first training day was held earlier this month and was hugely enjoyable. We were hosted in the marquee of Kath at The Pig Pen, Over Stratton. Despite it being a bitterly cold day, we were kept warm with blankets, fire pits, and hot and sustaining food and drink all day and with plenty to learn and discuss the time flew by.
Phil Stone and Paul Sander-Jackson provided a detailed information session on selecting a suitable site for a Community Woodland and choosing the right species to plant in it. People were encouraged to visit nearby community woodlands for inspiration (High Ham Millennial Wood and North Curry) and to use local knowledge and contacts to find the right site.
After a filling lunch of soup and homemade bread and muffins, Carrie Skinner led a session on Finding, Organising and Keeping Volunteers. Everyone contributed ideas about how to find like-minded people to work with, how best to utilise individual skills and how to motivate and keep hold of them. To end the day, Phil took us outside for a tree planting demonstration, using bare rooted and pot grown examples and including stakes and protective guards. Everyone then had the opportunity to practice planting new trees in designated spots in Kath’s garden.
Thank you to Kath for giving us such a beautiful setting and ensuring our creature comforts were attended to, and thank you to the 15 attendees for your ideas, imaginations and positivity. Good luck with your plans for woodlands and let us know how you get on. For those interested other, we will do this all again next year.
