Bridge Farm hedgerow planting
The project
After a few month of discussions between Bridge Farm, North Somerset Council, the LANCE Trust and the Forest of Avon, it has been agreed to plant almost 2kms of species-rich hedging that will link up two parcels of ancient woodland: Ashton Court and Yewtree Farm.
For a deep-dive into the the project and its benefits, read our blog.
We are fast approaching the week-long tree planting event, so please share this information with your friends and family.
Get in touch with Jack Bowman at treeplanting@n-somerset.gov.uk to register your place as a volunteer.
What's the plan
UPDATE: Planting resumes (and hopefully completes!) 14th March
The rain stopped us just short of finishing our hedgerow creation in February. But we plan to finish the task on Thursday March 14th!
We, again, will meet on site at 10am and work until it is done. There are approx. 900 whips left to plant, which should be an easy day's planting - with time left at the end for a local pub stop.
Please wear clothing you don't mind getting dirty, and sturdy footwear that will survive the wet, muddy conditions. We won't have the toilet on site this time unfortunately. Parking will once again be available at Long Ashton Cricket Club for 10-15 cars, but there are public transport and cycling options available too.
UPDATE: No planting 24th and 25th February
We are SO delighted to have had over 150 volunteers get involved this week, despite some wild weather. The ground is now very waterlogged, so we are going to pause on planting now and resume mid-March when hopefully it has dried out a bit.
So, no planting this weekend, but keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for future dates. Also keep an eye on our blog for some pictures from the week!
Thanks to a grant secured through the Forest of Avon, we are planting almost 2km of new hedgerow that will act as a wildlife corridor connecting two fragments of existing mature woodland. We are aiming to plant 6,500 native trees that, in time, will create a billowing hedgerow, boosting biodiversity in the area This land will then be managed for biodiversity with assistance from the LANCE Trust.
Each day, volunteers and the team will meet at 10am for a quick overview of the day and a planting demonstration.
We will look to finish for the day at 3pm, but there is no expectation to stay all day if you have other commitments!
Where to meet and how to get here
The planting will be taking place in a few different fields adjacent to each other, so we will meet in the same place every day, regardless of which field you are working on. (See map above)
Nearest postcode: Yanley Lane, BS41 9LW
What3words: ///sports.miles.bands
Hopefully you are fairly local as there is no parking at the site, however there are a few options for public transport/parking nearby:
By bike – follow festival way until you reach Yanley Lane. Meeting point is 200m down Yanley Lane on the left.
By bus to Long Ashton – ‘Theynes Croft’ stop in the village. 12-minute walk from here down Yanley Lane.
By bus to Park and Ride – 30 min walk via public right of way and festival way to the site.
By car – there is limited parking available (10 cars) at Long Ashton Cricket Club which borders our planting site. After this, I would recommend parking in the village and walking down Yanley Lane. At weekends only there will be parking available in the Long Ashton business park.
What to bring
Please wear lots of layers, waterproof clothing, gloves, and sturdy footwear as the ground may be uneven. We are hoping to have hot drinks available at the site but definitely bring water and a packed lunch.
There will be a toilet on site and a small shelter if the weather does turn on us.
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To register your place as a volunteer, contact Jack here: treeplanting@n-somerset.gov.uk
Feel free to get in touch with us if you have questions: LANCET2021@protonmail.com