Celebrating Trees
Guy Petheram, local tree expert and garden designer, shares his insights into some of his favourite trees in the Wilder Doddington landscape. Trees are more
For our landscape, the results will be that woodlands and other habitats expand and link up, and new habitats are created, resulting in:
We are also developing a whole range of wildlife safaris, tours, guided walks and nature spotting; there will be camping, glamping and more self-catering accommodation; new walking and cycling routes; access to Wilder Doddington for education and learning, health, fitness and nature-inspired creative and cultural events; as well as visits and activities for people of all ages whose mental and physical health can be improved by connecting to nature.
There will also be exciting work experience and employment opportunities around all these activities. And of course, there will be delicious, sustainable, pasture-fed organic beef.
Guy Petheram, local tree expert and garden designer, shares his insights into some of his favourite trees in the Wilder Doddington landscape. Trees are more
After the last harvest in 2021, our arable fields were left to recover, and vegetation succession was allowed to begin. At first, our bare earth was colonised by pioneer species of plants and fungi, notably and spectacularly by poppies. Over time other plants such as grasses, wildflowers, scrub and saplings began to appear, often in surprising places, with no two ex-arable fields recovering in quite the same way. As this continues, we hope to see the development of wood pasture across our heavy clay soil, species rich grasslands across our lighter, sandier soil, and wetland species in our stage-zero Wetter Better project becoming established and expanding.
After much heavy rain in the winter of 2023/24 drone footage shows that the filtration rate of our soils has much improved, with little to no standing water after heavy downpours. This indicates that the roots of the pioneer plants, such as thistle, ragwort and dock, are working hard to break up the compressed soil allowing water to drain. They will be also making room as they do this for soil dwelling creatures such as worms, springtails, pseudoscorpions and beetle larvae which are all vital for soil health.
We are noticing some exciting changes in our vegetation with surprising plants such as broom and gorse making an appearance in some areas, scrub such as dog rose, brambles and hawthorn appearing in others. There are grasses, wildflowers, and tree saplings such as birch, oak and ash and willow creating the beginnings of wood pasture and our hedgerows are blossoming into large, blousy structures brimming with wildlife.
These changes are attracting a host of birds and insects to the landscape. In the summer of 2023, the sound of grasshoppers and crickets created a cacophony of summer soundscape amongst the long grasses. Throughout 2023 and 2024 we have had a number of new and exciting changes to birdlife here at Doddington with visits from a pair of cranes, a Great Grey Shrike spending several weeks with us, a pair of Great White Egrets found stalking through our long grasses and a cormorant often spotted perched over a pond. We have noticed a pair of Peregrine Falcons nesting in an abandoned Raven nest and raising young, and more recently we spotted a Raven caring for its young.
