THE first tree grown in a nursery to support native species has been planted in the upper dale as part of a North Pennines National Landscape nature recovery programme.
Volunteers and staff of the North Pennines National Landscape Tees-Swale: naturally connected programme braved cold winds in Holwick last week to mark an important milestone with the first ever tree, grown from seed in a wildflower and tree nursery at Bowlees, being planted.
Volunteer Mark Windle, who helped collect the seed two years ago, was given the honours in planting the bare-rooted Wych Elm whip (smaller than a sapling) during the tree-planting session at Park End, Holwick, last week.
Mr Windle said: “We’ve started to make the first steps in a long journey in the Teesdale tree project. Long may the funding continue. It is the ultimate in citizen’s carbon sinks.”
The £8.5m Tees-Swale programme, largely funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, works across an area of 845 square kilometres of the largest semi-natural habitats in England.
The tree and wildflower nursery at Bowlees visitor centre was established by the North Pennines National Landscape team to grow native species as close to where their seeds are collected as possible. The trees and flowers will then be used to deliver some of the nature recovery and conservation work in the area.
The plants grown at the nursery, with the help of local volunteers, will help the team create woodland and restore upland hay meadows and species-rich grassland for nature recovery across farms in Teesdale.
The tree planting site, farmed by Peter Raine, a tenant of Strathmore Estate, has worked with the North Pennines National Landscape team for a number of years and has several meadows restored and enhanced as well as acting as a green hay donor.
As well as the Wych Elm, which is one of the few elms spread mainly by seed and hardier than the English elm, the team and volunteers also planted approximately 100 native broadleaf and shrub species that will help stop soil erosion on the riverbanks.
The Tees Swale Naturally Connected programme will be running more tree planting sessions in the coming months. Anyone wishing to volunteer with National Landscapes should visit https://northpennines.org.uk/what_we_do/volunteering/
