Overview
Project:
Personal Rewilding Project
Location:
Somerset
Customer:
How to Rewild
Distributor:
Local Supplier
Product(s):
Located in north Somerset, this 3.5-acre disused farmland is the personal rewilding project of Chris D’Agorne, founder of the How to Rewild website, which provides a range of guides on everything from tree planting to land acquisition for individuals and organisations looking to start their own rewilding projects.
“I was surprised at a couple of things; first, to see that we had something like a 90 to 95% survival rate despite the late planting time. Second, how well the shelters stood up to the elements – after Storm Arwen hit, we only had a few shelters that were slightly bent, which was a huge relief!”Chris D'Agorne, Founder of How to Rewild
The Project
The project saw the creation of several ponds, the sowing of wildflower seeds and substantial tree planting, as part of a ‘bottom-up’ or intervention-based rewilding plan for the former farmland.
Over 800 trees of various native species were planted at the site, which has a significant population of deer and voles.
Naturally occurring tree species such as alder, wych elm, and wild cherry were planted in a naturalistic style with plenty of edge habitats and open spaces such as meadows interspersed with single standing trees such as oak.
Planting in this way helps to create shade, localised humidity and structural diversity, which is key to accommodating a wide diversity of animal and insect species.
The Solution
The decision to use tree shelters was carefully considered against other options.
Tubex Standard Recyclable tree shelters were installed to protect from this browsing risk, to facilitate growth and to insulate the saplings from extreme weather conditions.
Natural alternatives to tree shelters such as thorny nurseries and brash cover were considered but at scale these were not practical to implement.
“Knowing that I was going to use them, I wanted shelters that were resilient so I could have certainty that they’d still be there years later – but I also wanted the least environmentally impactful option and that’s why, after conducting some research, I chose Tubex,” said Chris.
Tubex’s Collection & Recycling Programme provides a sustainable end-of-life solution for Chris to recycle his tree shelters – either at one of our free hubs located around the UK or with our bag pick-up option.
Click here to find out more about our Collection & Recycling Programme.
