Free tree hub - Slapton (Saturday 25th January)
About the event
Anyone can pop along from 10am and collect up to five trees (along with tree guards and stakes) from a mix of species including hedgerow trees.
Devon's treescapes are stunning and crucial habitats for so much wildlife, but they are under threat from Ash Dieback which is estimated to kill a substantial number (some estimates predict at least 90%) of Devon’s ash trees in the coming years. It will affect everyone, but everyone can be part of the solution. You can do your bit by planting trees outside of woodlands, so why not start at the weekend!
Saving Devon's Treescapes is led by Devon Wildlife Trust on behalf of the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum. It is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, other funders and charitable trusts. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project aims to strengthen Devon's treescapes in the face of ash dieback disease.
People will be able to collect between one and five trees along with protection and a planting and aftercare guide. The trees will all be cell-grown UK broadleaf species such as crab apple, wild cherry, rowan and birch. They will be two to three years old and so around 20-60cm in height. They will need to be planted within a few days of collection.
There will be a chance to visit the Tree Hub Café, and take part in some children friendly activities as well as a willow weaving workshop. There will also be opportunities to receive expert tree and hedge advice for landowners. Several stalls will be set up, featuring tree-related products and information, as well as a DWT membership booth.
Local volunteers and community groups run the free tree hubs in their own time, so please be patient and considerate if you can’t find the species you want or we’ve run out. Unfortunately, as this is a free offer sourced from trees grown in our community tree nurseries, once they are gone…they’re gone! But you can still say hello and find out more about the project and when there are other hubs happening across Devon.
Any landowners who are looking to plant more than five trees should contact the treescapes team who will then add names to a waiting list for next planting season. Read more about the project and find other ways to get involved on the Saving Devon’s Treescapes website at https://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/what-we-do/our-projects/saving-devons-treescapes