What are we doing?
Riparian planting means planting trees along water courses. We will be planting these trees at a low density to increase biodiversity and stabilise riverbanks. Trees also help to alleviate flooding, land erosion and landslides due to their roots acting as scaffolding, holding the soil together more effectively. Scattering trees near water will also provide valuable shade for animals and livestock during the summer months and during droughts, thereby maintaining the good health of livestock and preventing overexposure to the sun.
Native trees will be grown from seeds gathered in and around the Carneddau. This is to ensure that we are planting trees that have evolved and adapted to their environment, meaning that these trees will be more likely to survive and will be more resilient to our sometimes-extreme weather!
Veteran trees provide an extremely valuable habitat for all sorts of wildlife. The term veteran describes a tree with features such as scars, wounds or decay which appear with age and support an array of life from fungal bodies to invertebrates and mammals. These trees include large oaks in lowland fields and slow-growing hawthorns on the ffridd. These culturally and ecologically significant trees will be recorded. We also aim to work on restoring orchards.
Hedgerow shrubs include hawthorn, blackthorn and dog rose, which are essential food sources during autumn and winter for birdlife. Hedgerows also sustain a plethora of invertebrates and mammals. By restoring hedgerows and creating new ones, we are connecting areas of wildlife, like corridors, and linking up previously unconnected habitats in order to increase the area in which nature can thrive.
The benefits of trees in the fight against climate change are now well understood. They lock up carbon, reduce pollution and flooding, and support wildlife and livestock in adapting to the climate crisis.
