TREE PLANTING INNOVATIONS
New schemes trialed
by TurfPro Editor, Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR
 
Laurence Gale MSC, MBPR

This week I am pleased to report on a series of interesting tree planting projects that I came across during my recent Green Flag judging. The site in question was Barr Beacon a local nature reserve located 3 miles east of Walsall’s town centre. 


Barr Beacon is one of the highest points in the West Midlands, 227 metres above sea level and is part of the plateau of Breccia sandstone which extends to Streetly in the east.


At the top of the slopes of the site there are two large car parks and a war memorial dedicated to all the fallen soldiers of Staffordshire and Warwickshire in the First World War. 

 

 

The whole site is a dedicated war memorial, and is also a Black Country UNESCO Global Geopark, designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, and a local Dark Skies “Orion” status site.


Barr Beacon is a large J shaped site measuring 25 hectares and is surrounded by open farmland. The site is a valuable link in a chain of local sites that connects Great Barr with Aldridge.


This site has extensive areas of unimproved acidic grassland and plant species rare in the Black Country including harebells and some uncommon grasses. These areas are interspersed with scrub and areas of heathland restoration. Butterflies and moths are well recorded in Barr Beacon, with over 300 species.

 

 

During my visit, along with fellow Green Flag judge Andy Ansell, we were shown around by three council officers who were on hand to explain the management and maintenance of the site.


It is always interesting to see the different management and maintenance practices being put into place, as well as the outcome of their inputs. 

 


Barr Beacon is a popular area of public open space and is used by people for recreational activities including walking, picnics and informal play, as well as attendance at education or community events run from the site. 


The council were carrying out a number of restoration works on the site that included some heather regeneration work, clearing of some trees and trailing a relative new tree planting scheme that has been sponsored by Seven Trent.


This scheme is part of their partnership with The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Gamen. Severn Trent say they have launched a programme to fully fund and manage tree planting for farmers and landowners across the midlands, offering an annual premium payment of £200 per hectare for the first 10 years, for sites over 8 hectares. 


This Tiny Forest (number 28) planted at Barr Beacon is one of 72 being planted as part of the Birmingham  Commonwealth games legacy. 

 

Miyawaki Method

 

What was interesting about this particular planting scheme was that it is very different from typical tree planting schemes, where they plant whips with protectors. 

 


Essentially the concept is all about giving young seedling plants a great kick start. The process involves cultivating down to a depth of around 800mm, applying a lot of mulch and planting at close centres.  


Known as the Miyawaki Method, it is named after its creator, Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist and plant ecologist who has a particular interest in phytosociology, i.e. how plant species interact with each other within communities. 


When Miyawaki combined these concepts, he developed a new way of planting forests. This was based on the native vegetation that he postulated should be growing in that area, as deduced from PNV studies, and his understanding of how these species would interact and grow to produce a dynamic forest ecosystem. His early field trials showed great promise that this method could dramatically accelerate forest growth and result in a stable and diverse forest ecosystem. Since then Miyawaki forests have been successfully planted on more than 3000 sites globally.


You can learn more about the method here.

 


 
Walsall Council has planted several of these Miyawaki plantations in and around its borough and all seem to be well received by the public - and more importantly are growing at a rapid rate compared to other traditional tree planting schemes. 


Both Andy and I were impressed with the growth seen on the Barr Beacon plantation. The trees looked healthy and vigorous considering they had only been planted last year.


Walsall Council have also introduced an app that allows visitors to find interesting information about the site.

 

As part of the app for example, you can search for dinosaurs that may have roamed on the site and once you find one you can have your picture taken with it to prove you found the location via the app. I am sure this must prove a great attraction for children – and visitors like myself!

 


All in all, another interesting day spent meeting with fellow professionals who are dedicated to managing and maintaining our wonderful, diverse, urban public open spaces.

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