The latest practical conservation volunteer work party took place at Thurston Outdoor Education Centre on Monday 18th December. Eight volunteers joined staff from the centre as we planted 120 trees along the banks of their new beck. The beck had been created as part of the hydro works that Thurston had installed last year. The project helped to naturalise  the new channel, adding slights bends, improving the beck bed and reseeding the banks. The channel was also fenced off with the addition of a wooden crossing so the grazing sheep can move between fields without entering the watercourse. Currently the channel is empty with the water still flowing through an old culvert  – the water will be connected in June 2018 so watch this space.

A mixture of rowan, alder, willow, birch and oak were planted,supported by wooded stakes and protected with tubes and will provide good habitats as they grow over the next few years. The crack team worked so well that the 120 trees were all in by lunchtime!