PEOPLE are being encouraged to plant new hedges and trees across Somerset – with free help and plants are available.
Reimagining the Levels (RtL) is keen to help people plant trees and hedges on farmland, community land, or in local green spaces.
“Planting the right trees in the right places brings long-term benefits for flood prevention, wildlife, people and the landscape, and we’re here to make it as easy as possible for you to get started,” an RtL spokesperson said.
“We have five years’ experience under our belt and in that time have enabled 120 thousand plus trees to be planted in the Somerset landscape.”
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RtL can help people identify suitable planting sites, offer advice on species choice, and even provide free trees, shrubs, and protection materials, they said.
“We can visit your site to discuss options — from small community projects and orchard plantings to larger areas of woodland or new hedgerows that link existing habitats,” the spokesperson went on.
Grants for planting up to a hectare of woodland and around 150 metres of new native hedgerow are being offered, as well as support for small agroforestry schemes and community fruit plantings.
These grants come from the Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA), the Green Scythe Fair, Carbon Aware Productions, and RtL itself, and are designed to be flexible and inclusive — available to all types of landowners and community groups.
RtL will handle the grant applications for you and provide:
· A site visit and planting advice
· Free native trees and shrubs (over 50 species available)
· Free plant protection
· Optional financial help towards planting and fencing (subject to approval)
“Most of our trees are native species to boost biodiversity, but we also include a few non-natives to test resilience to climate change,” the spokesperson added.
“Monitoring these helps us understand which species will thrive in the future and shape local tree-planting strategies.
“Our brilliant team of volunteers helps with planting from December to March, and we always welcome new hands.”
Anyone with land — large or small — or simply an idea for where trees or hedges could make a difference is being encouraged to contact the group by email to Kate at katetowers.rtl@gmail.com, or via www.reimaginingthelevels.org.uk.
Good afternoon,
I live in Combe Florey, near Bishops Lydeard. We have 75 acres, some of which is well established. We have a ‘recovery wood’ of aprox. 7 acres of trees that are 10-15 years old but have been on site for 3 years. We’d be keen to plant more, probably on field margins. Our major problem is deer, so that has to be taken into account. Would we be eligible for your scheme?