The Tree Working Group (TWiG) has been established as a project, as part of East Meon Nature, under the leadership of Stuart Martin.
They completed their first project on Saturday 2 December 2022. They planted a broad hedgerow using native British species on the north side of the village green. As it develops it will provide a habitat for many birds, insects and other animals, as well as enhancing the environment. The South Downs National Park kindly supplied the funding for this work.
They completed their second hedgerow planting project on 24/02/23 at the Recreation Ground, adjacent to the Clanfield Road.
The article below, written by Jonathan Iremonger for the Spring 2022 edition of Meon Matters, gives an overview of its purposes and intended initial work programme.
It is one of the joys of living in a village that country and town are deeply intermingled. Our houses are set amongst trees and hedges; their backdrop is woodland and hills. The country starts at our doorstep. The views we value reflect accidents of nature but also the vision of our forebears, planting for future generations. The village we leave our children will similarly reflect our own vision or our lack of it.
In garden and field, many of us are shaping the future by what we plant. The Nature Group’s Tree Working Group (TWiG) is looking specifically at the ‘common’ areas within the village for which the Parish Council has responsibility – the existing trees and hedges in these areas, what might survive global warming and how we might enrich these.
In part, this is about a vision of the landscape that makes our village what it is – we want a country village, not another piece of suburbia. But we also need to do our bit for carbon capture, for renewing the green lungs of our planet, for wildlife habitat and for the cooling and shade that the village will need.
TWiG has proposed to the Parish Council that we start by planting two ‘nature’ hedges – one along the boundary between the edge of the Recreation ground and the High Street, the other along the boundary between the edge of the Green and Workhouse Lane. These would add wildlife habitat and enhance the country character of the village. Beyond this, there is scope to plant trees and further lengths of hedgerow, notably around the football pitch. TWiG has consulted experts on good planting mixes that should survive global warming. We are also consulting those primarily affected by the proposals.
A major challenge will be the effort needed to plant and maintain trees and hedges. The Nature Group is relatively small and the initiative will work best if it is a community effort, say as part of the Plant a Tree for the Jubilee scheme. We are looking for people who would be willing to join a planting team or adopt small sections to water them in dry periods as they become established.
Our village landscape has been gradually eroded as trees have died and as landscaping by developers has been token. We have an opportunity now to preserve the country character of our village and to provide the important amenity of shade and greenery that our children will need as global warming encroaches. If you can help with this in any way, please contact us at eastmeontwig@gmail.com.
We very much look forward to hearing from you. Jonathan Iremonger