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Craig Dunsford
Planting native oaks in Ashton Court Estate, Bristol
Craig and pupil from Ashton Park School, Bristol planting oak trees |
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Craig Dunsford has been voluntarily planting native oaks in
Ashton Court Estate, Bristol for around the last ten years now. He says:-
'The origins of the project in Clarkencombe, a wood in Ashton Court, Bristol
are based on my experiences of helping to restore the Caledonian Forest in
Scotland and early voluntary work with Ted Green and the Veteran Tree
Initiative. In 1995, I contacted Kevin Jones, the, then, urban tree manager
from Bristol City Council to suggest a plan to maintain the age structure of
oak trees in the Clarkencombe Woods. This was in my role as voluntary tree
warden for Southville. This involves the collection of acorns from the site
which are then planted in my allotment to grow before re-instating the young
saplings back into Clarkencombe Wood. The existing oak trees are aged
between 500 and 700 years old, but there are very few younger trees. The
work is necessary as the oak trees generally do not regenerate under their
own canopy. My aim is to continue to help give age diversity to the woodland
as it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Therefore, as the trees die
out over the next 50 to 150 years, there will be trees with the same gene
stock as now to allow the woodland to continue in its existing state. This
is based on the idea of 'Seeds of Provenance'. As the work is in the Deer
Park, mesh tree guards prevent any damage to the young saplings by Fallow
deer. I foresee that this project will carry on in the future.
I involved pupils from Ashton Park School in Bristol, in the planting of oak
trees in 2007 with the help of the Forest Of Avon. In 2008, I planted more
and had a further planting session on Saturday, 13th December 2008.'
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