Over the last few months the National Trust have been working to create a new plantation next to Abbott Street Copse on the Kingston Lacy estate.
It has planted and guarded 2,500 trees and 1,500 hedgerow trees. Their aim is that this will increase, conserve and improve the biodiversity of this environment. Whilst also providing a woodland that will be managed to provide locally and sustainably sourced timber in the future.
Abbott Street Copse is famous for beautiful bluebell fields. The new plantation will provide visitors with a new route that will help to preserve the bluebells whilst also allowing visitors to enjoy them.
The new plantation consists primarily of oak, with sweet chestnut, hazel, wild cherry and scattered scots pine. According to the National Trust website its hope is to create an oak dominated canopy, with patches of sweet chestnut and hazel understorey which will mirror and conserve the existing woodland habitat. A scattering of wild cherry and scots pine will add diversity, and encourage growth of other trees, by drawing neighbouring trees up through their fast growth.
