Hedgerow & Tree Planting at Monksdale House

With the help of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, we have been able to complete phase one of our hedgerow and tree planting programme at Monksdale House, near Wheston.

We have two fields with drystone walls in an area with very few existing trees. Keen to promote better tree cover and biodiversity, we initially enquired about the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) scheme, but were referred to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust (DWT).

DWT have the Derwent Living Forest scheme which covers the Tideswell area. This aims to provide 30,000 hectares of wooded habitat by 2050. One of the objectives is to enhance connectivity between the dales (in this case Monks Dale and Peter Dale) and open countryside. This is to create a habitat corridor to help species move and expand their range. Better habitat is needed to help birds, small mammals and invertebrates in an area which is otherwise farmed quite intensively.

After initial site visits, including an ecological assessment, a planting plan was devised, based on the advice from the Wildlife Trust.

With assistance from the Woodland Trust, we have been provided so far with around 1,200 free plants, stakes and tree guards. We were provided with a range of trees (common oak, birch, wild pear, aspen) and hedgerow species (hawthorn, blackthorn, holly, hazel, dog rose).

This will create a beautiful hedge with intermittent taller trees, and be a wonderful habitat for wildlife.

In our second field we have planted densely in a corner of the field and we will also have a shelter belt along our eastern boundary. This will eventually provide shelter for our neighbour’s livestock.

We have just completed the planting with assistance from DWT. It was a tiring job, but extremely satisfying work.

Phase two will take place in October after we have rebuilt approximately 120 metres of roadside walling. DWT are also providing assistance here via their projects team. Although we will be paying for this work, we have secured funding from DEFRA which will cover nearly all of the cost.

Over a period of time this will be transformational and we hope other landowners locally will be inspired to do the same. There is actually a wide choice of funding available for small and larger scale projects. For larger landowners it would be worth looking at funding from the Forestry Commission as well as funding from DEFRA, the Woodland Trust and DWT. It can make financial sense for farmers and landowners, especially on marginal land and awkward small fields which are otherwise difficult to create an income from.

We are very grateful to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust in particular for their assistance in project managing the process. The Woodland Trust played an important role in providing the plants at nil cost to us.

Mike and Heather Hull
Monksdale House
Wheston, near Tideswell