More news and events here. Up dated September 2005

Tree Nurseries

In September 2004 volunteers from the Green Dragon Woodland Project started work on our new "Trees From Seed" scheme. The first nursery is for The Landmatters co-op in Devon. It will provide trees to restore woodland and hedgerows on the 42 acre site as well as suppling trees on a not-for-profit basis to the local community.

Funds for the materials were raised by Green Dragon by salvaging, recycling and selling second hand books.

Phase one of the project included: Siting gateways, paths and seed beds; clearing the area and enclosing it with a rabbit-proof fence, this was constructed using locally sourced Sweet Chestnut posts (See pictures below). Sweet Chestnut was chosen because of its incredible rot resistant quality - even when in direct contact with the soil. Most commercially produced fence posts are pressure treated with heavy metals, the use of Sweet Chestnut avoids this problem.

Phase two of the nursery began at the end of September 2004. The week was mostly taken up with shifting a deep bank of fallen earth and stone that lay in the North West corner of the plot, burying much of the wall there. As well as blocking the track way it also acted as a point of access into the nursery from the hillside above that could possibly allow livestock, deer and rabbits to stray in.

Phase three began in the first week of October 2004 and consisted of: Coppicing a row of large Sycamores that were leaning over the site from the top of the old stone wall. This was done to limit the damage they were doing and to give more light to the area. It took the best part of three days for volunteers to do the work and clear the site. The wind was very strong which meant that the whole operation had to be undertaken with the greatest of care. Once safely down the trunks were logged and some offered to a local school for wood working the remainder are to be used to grow edible woodland mushrooms.

Work was also started on the three new Sweet Chestnut gates for the nursery. The joints were all cut by hand and held together with oak dowels.

Rodent-proof seed tables and seed trays were installed. The tables consist of supports on which are corrugated iron sheets - the considerable overhang prevents rodents climbing up the legs and on to the top. In times gone by, carved stone mushrooms or Staddle Stones were used to support granary buildings which worked in the same way.

Across the winter we will be digging the new beds for Spring; planting a new hedgerow along the fence line - this will provide habitat and hopefully a diversionary food supply for wildlife, prevent erosion of the bank, and give more shelter to the nursery trees; planting fruit trees along the southern facing wall; installing compost bins; and building a pond and fern garden to encourage the frogs that we encountered on the site - frogs are of course a most welcome predator of plant pests. Also see other News pages.

1. The over-grown nursery site on the 4th September '04, before work began.	2. Clearing the ground.	3. The Sweet Chestnut posts arrive ready to start constructing the rabbit proof fence.
4. The Posts are put in.	5. The rabbit wire goes on - note trench 15cms deep that takes the right angled wire that prevents rabbits digging under. Once in position the wire is buried.	6. Stock proof wire then goes on too as the farm track is used by sheep.
7. The Sycamores are cut in strong winds so a block and tackle is fitted to guide down the trunk.	8. The first of three Sweet Chestnut gates leaves the workshop ready to be hung.	9. Seed trays are placed on a rodent proof table and filled with a layer of stones for drainage then earth, seeds are planted and finally 5mm mesh fits on top to keep out birds and squirrels.

click here to view the list of other news

Green Dragon is a volunteer project run as a not-for-profit organisation.
Office: Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XG