In last year’s planting season we planted 12 trees along the road at the edge of the Spa Road play area, Seven of these were funded by Witham Town Council and the remainder from our own resources, which come largely from a generous bequest some years ago by a local resident. In order to complete this long planned project, we were delighted to secure funding this year, through Essex County Council (ECC), from the Forestry Commission. Since the land is owned by Braintree District Council (BDC), their support for the project was also required. We had hoped to begin planting in January but had underestimated the time it would take for the three bodies involved to finalise the details of their agreement.
As a result we could not begin the actual planting until 15 February but were able to make up for some of the lost time by returning only two days later on 17 February to plant most of the remaining trees with the help of volunteers from the Popcorn community project. On the first occasion we planted trees around the children’s playgrounds in order to provide shade in the summer. With the memory of the hot, dry summer of 2022, with its record temperatures, and remembering that the summer of 2023, though much wetter, actually had a higher average temperature, we were anxious to get shade trees started to protect children using the playgrounds as soon as possible. It will take a few years for the trees to become fully effective but we have planted poplars and acers which are quick growing and broad leaved in the expectation that they will offer some protection in a few years even before they are fully grown.
On 17 February we added two acers to the shade trees but the main effort was directed to extending the planting along the edge of the site which we had begun last year. In total we added 13 trees. We should not have been able to do so without the welcome assistance of our friends from Popcorn, who took to the unfamiliar tasks with splendid energy and determination. We were most grateful for their help and almost as grateful for the excellent doughnuts which they provided! We were also delighted to welcome the contribution of two local BDC councillors, Ron Ramage and Jon Hayes (Mr Ramage is also a Town Councillor), who had become aware of the planned planting day and wanted to help. They too offered admirable effort and commitment. With all this assistance, and despite the stoniness of some of the ground, we were able together to plant a mixture of birches, elms, hornbeams, limes and maples. There remain a handful of trees to finish off the project and we will plant these in March.
Meanwhile we move on to another project financed by the Forestry Commission through ECC, and supported by BDC, which is to provide trees along the new cycle path running from the pedestrian railway bridge to the north of Witham Station towards the new estate at Rivenhall Oaks. We begin this project on 22 February and will continue for two or three more Thursday mornings, We will report on progress in due course. Should anyone wish to help, they are welcome to just turn up on site around 9 o’clock; we will provide equipment.
Richard Hawkes
Feb 2024
