Growing Native trees from seeds in a woodland Community Tree Nursery

Deer Wood Trust, Loddiswell. Saturday July 20th 10.30am - 4.30pm. (Free day workshop for those interested in or already involved in a Community Tree Nursery).

The Growing Diversity project and Deer Wood Trust Community Tree Nursery (CTN) are offering a wonderful opportunity to learn effective, holistic and creative ways to grow Native trees from seeds in a free workshop set in the Deer Wood Trust’s woodland. The event takes place on Saturday July 20th from 10.30 to 4.30pm.
This workshop is open to those who are involved in CTNs or looking to be involved in one. The Deer Wood Trust offers ‘a safe and inclusive place for local communities, socially disadvantaged people and all our visitors to experience well-being through woodland-based outdoor activities and therapies’. The CTN is at the heart of the overall work that takes place in the woodland, all nuts and seeds are collected within the woodland and surrounding hedgerows and then processed and grown within the CTN. They offer a range of events
including courses and workshops. To find out more go to: https://thedeerwoodtrust.org.uk/

So what is a CTN? It is a place where local people can be involved in growing trees, usually from seeds for local tree planting. CTNs vary in size and type and can be as small as growing some trees in containers in one’s garden to a large plot with paid staff. One thing that all CTNs have in common is a vision to grow healthy trees for the local landscape. Anyone can start a CTN in their local patch, there are lots of resources now available to help with the early stages of seed collection and growing. Check out: https://fellowshipofthetrees.org/our-projects/ for more resources and support on this topic. The workshop will be held in the woodland and will include lunch. Spaces are limited, so it is advisable to book as soon as possible. Both Marc Biddle and Lisa Pugh from the Trust will be involved in the day. The key tutor for the session is Marc who is qualified in Dip permaculture ed, RFS Dip Arboriculture, and Permaculture Diploma under Bill Mollison, he also has an NVQ 3-4 Carpentry. He worked for The Eden Project in Cornwall, involved in the earliest stages of the organisation’s set-up with plant and tree cultivation, landscaping and construction over a four year period. Lisa is an experienced secondary school teacher and also therapist. The Growing Diversity project is a partnership initiative between the Woodland Trust and Fellowship of the Trees, funded by the Forestry Commission's Tree Production Innovation Fund. In particular the project aims to strengthen and support CTNs to grow more of the 'hard to source and grow species’, thereby diversifying tree production in CTNs generally. ‘Devon is one the key regions in England where the Growing Diversity project is delivering focused support for increasing tree seed collection. We are privileged to be working in partnership with the Deer Wood Trust’s Community Tree Nursery on this event to help encourage more people to learn the holistic methods employed there in growing Native trees. The Growing Diversity project provides free peer to peer learning events to help a wide range of people learn how to grow trees from seed. We are particularly focusing on helping people to collect seeds from tree species that have been identified as ‘harder to source and grow’. For example: Small Leaved Lime, Wayfaring Tree and Wild Service Tree. The workshop on the 20th July is open to anyone who is interested in growing Native trees from seed in their communities or in a Community Tree Nursery’. (Hilary Campbell, Growing Diversity Project Coordinator).

Anyone who is interested in attending will need to register in advance as numbers are limited.
Please visit the eventbrite booking page via the link below for more details and to
book your place:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/867519292557?aff=oddtdtcreator