Caversham volunteers plant new trees to regenerate wood

MORE than 20 volunteers braved muddy conditions to help plant 170 saplings in an area of Caversham woodland.

Seventy oak saplings and 80 hazel saplings were planted in Clayfield Copse, at the northern end of Caversham Park Road on Sunday.

The event was organised by the Friends of Clayfield Copse and Reading Tree Wardens and is part of an initiative to plant 400 small saplings in the local nature reserve.

The saplings are to replace a number of ash trees that have been felled in the area after succumbing to ash dieback, a chronic fungal disease which causes trees to become brittle and lose their leaves.

The work was completed in two hours, owing to the good turnout of helpers. Coordinator Peter Scudamore, of the Friends of Clayfield Copse, explained that the volunteers carefully interspersed the two types of saplings in their planting as the hazel saplings would protect the oak.

Mr Scudamore, who lives in Caversham Park, said that, under direction from the Reading Tree Wardens, the oak trees were planted first.

He said: “The wardens put in canes as markers to make sure the trees were spread out through the area we were planting.

“Then we filled in between the oaks with the hazel so the whole area was covered. Each tree whip was planted with a cane and tree guard to protect it from deer for the first year or so.

“The tree wardens wanted to make sure we did not plant the trees too deep as they said this could cause the tree to rot if planted deeper than it was when dug up.”

Mr Scudamore said that it was hoped that in the future hazel could be coppiced to make an understory to the oaks as they mature.

He added that he would like to thank everyone who came to help and Reading Borough Council, which provided the trees.

Dave Kenny, of the Reading Tree Warden Network, explained that many of the ash trees had been cut down as they posed a safety risk

Mr Kenny, who lives in Caversham, said: “Some of these were quite badly affected and obviously the council cuts down any affected ones within falling range of footpaths.

“That’s why there were gaps in the woods.”

Mr Kenny said that the main aim of the planting was to increase the range of trees. “The ash will just keep re-growing,” he said. “The idea with restocking is that you get a wider variety of trees coming up.”

He described the turnout to the event as “fantastic” adding, “It’s very wet and muddy there at the moment but I think everybody had a good time and there were no mishaps.” Rachel Paton, who is a friend of Clayfield Copse, spent the morning volunteering.

She said: “I think people got a lot out of it. People came from all of Reading, it wasn’t just Caversham and from various volunteer organisations and friends of friends.”

Ms Paton, who lives in Caversham Park, said she had enjoyed it, adding: “I haven’t planted trees before, so it was a new experience.”

Despite the muddy weather, Ms Paton said that most of the volunteers came prepared. “We were all dressed for it, with gum boots and coats. People got the trees in very quickly.”

Oliver White who is the Labour candidate for the Emmer Green ward in the upcoming borough council elections, said he was keen to join in with the efforts as he had fond memories of the copse growing up.

He said: "Many hands made light work on Sunday, though I was able to plant a few of the tree whips, and get quite muddy in the process."