01-12-2018: National Tree Week

We have had a whirlwind week last week, as we took part in National Tree Week and planted 262 new native tree saplings at Kingston Hill.


We were very lucky in getting saplings from the following sources this year:
1. 60 from the Woodland Trust’s Community tree pack scheme
2. 200 from the Mayor of London’s - community tree packs scheme managed by The Conservation volunteers.
3. And two saplings kindly donated by local residents who volunteered on the day and donated the two trees that they received from the Mayoral scheme.

Oksana and Mariyan planting one of their trees at Kingston Hill

The saplings have been planted in the gap in our woodland boundary at Kingston Hill where we have been removing invasive Rhododendron Ponticum. This plant is still very much entrenched in our woodland, but we have been battling it with volunteers for approximately 6 years now. 

In some areas we have managed to get rid of enough root matter that the light re-growth can be easily weeded out – this is where we concentrated our planting this year. 

On Wednesday we ran a small lunch time planting session to kick things off, and had staff, alumni, local residents and students come along and help plant 60 saplings. 

Alexie planting her first tree at Kingston Hill

Dagmara adding more saplings to the site

On Saturday, we had a great turn out from volunteers, especially a group of intrepid geocachers who have been helping is during some recent events.

Adding their stories to our site

One of the Geocachers who is a bit of a poet wrote the following ballad which I wanted to share: 

“Rhododendron Bashing, The second beating.... (GC7Y2NA) has a new log:

·         Logged by: zouavesauvage

·         Log Type: Attended

·         Date: 01/12/2018

·         Location: London, United Kingdom

·         Type: Cache In Trash Out Event

Log:
CITO Ballad for Rhododendron Bashing, the Second Beating. 1st December 2018 Dank the day, the College wood Where Hedgepiglet, dauntless, stood, Where we foregathered, armed and ready. The battle mist holds all arms steady. Held up high, the banner streams “For Wood Elves! For their dark green dreams!” The cry goes up, the warlike song. The enemy cowers. they won’t hold long: Against them all our might’s too strong. Creeping, shooting, gripping thorn With mattock, spade and fork is shorn; That held those elves in thrall so tight, Bound them and denied them light, Trapped them so they could not fight, Held against all they knew was right. The monster Rhododendron root Torn out with pry-bar, mattock, boot. Ripped out whole, the holly sprout Between the brambles all about. And these we grabbed and followed round, Prising them from reluctant ground, Casting them, dying, on a growing mound As we fought, a light rain falling, At last we heard the Wood Elves calling, Victorious on the freedom field, The enemy’s fate now sure and sealed: “Put away destruction, Death, decay And let freed Wood Elves have their day!”. “Trees! Bring them forth and spread! Lay them where lately clung the dead”. A hundred saplings, a hundred more Roots dipped in Mycorrhizal spore Rowan, oak and smooth-skinned beech And downy birch with its bark like peach. A spade, a cane and a filling-in A tube to protect each stem so thin A careful tread of a muddy boot To marry the soil to the tender root To await the spring, to launch the shoot. The work is done, the new wood glows As, through the clouds, new sunshine shows. All Health & Safety issues met All tools in barrows safely set Earth’s warriors gathered for a parting shot All who worked and the great Goldpot. (I witnessed his toil, but some did not!) And now it’s homeward where the shower’s hot And the kettle can boil and make tea in a pot! “

Kathy and Brian planting their first trees

Getting to grips with a thorny problem

Plants visiting from all overseas as well to add trees to our site :)

Tender loving care for trees

With everyone’s help we managed to get the remaining 202 trees planted, with support stakes and tree guards. The tree guards help to protect the samplings from being stood on, as they are very small, but also helps us to see where they have been planted. 

Changing views

Final push by all

Opps we mealy missed one, the final sapling getting planted!

This is important, as we will have to keep weeding and watering the area for the first 1-2 years to ensure that the saplings have a chance to establish. 

We have tried to increase our chances of the samplings establishing stronger, buy inoculating the roots with Mycorrhizal fungi – Fingers crossed, we see in increase in sapling establishment as a result. 

We will be continuing to cut back large established rhododendron from this side of our woodland this winter, with our last rhodo bash of the season on the 26th of January 2019. 

The root of the problem - rhododendrons in our woodland, need to be removed completely

Join us next year - its only a month away :) 

We always welcome new volunteers, so if you like the sound of helping us to battle the spread of this invasive species in our woodland at Kingston Hill – sign up using this Eventbrite link. 

Hope to see you there, 

Sivi