Argentan, Normandy, France, June 2021
In 2020, around 11km of hedgerows were planted thanks to strong support from A Tree for You donors and the Orne departmental council (conseil départemental de l’Orne, in the northwest of France), This first plantation has proved a great success. The farmers on board the project are satisfied with the operation and local inhabitants are also delighted with the work carried out, bringing extra greenery to the heart of their countryside!
Motivated by the success of this plantation, A Tree for You and its partner in the field, BNE Orne, plan to continue this momentum by supporting further hedgerow planting with more farmers in 2021.
Following the first planting campaign in early 2020 (around 11,000 plants), nearly 4,000 plants were planted in early 2021, involving ten farms and one local authority.
Preparatory work began with the 11 farmers in March 2021: decompacting planting rows, breaking up the soil, then adding biodegradable mulch to protect the plants from drought and grass growth.
The next step involved planting trees and shrubs, following specific sequences established according to the soil type, climate, and objectives of each farmer.
The new hedgerows will mainly play a role in redefining the landscape, with most of them bordering roads and pathways. All these plantations will benefit biodiversity in terms of fauna (small game, birds, etc.) and flora (ligneous plants, herbaceous plants at the foot of the hedgerows). The wide range of species planted (about 21 different species) will encourage this biodiversity, as well as helping better understand the soil and climate conditions for each hedge.
With regards climate, changes observed in recent years are also taken into account when selecting the tree species and how they are planted. This explains the choice of species adapted to rising average temperatures and increasingly hot summers.
Beech is less widely planted, likewise the pedunculate oak, which is replaced by sessile oak. Ash, affected by a disease (chalarosis), is replaced by flat or field maple. Hornbeam is preferred because it is flexible to soils and climates. Buckthorn, male dogwood, and thorny trees are retained on the driest soils.
So planting trees, and more specifically hedgerows, calls for constant reassessment of climate, biodiversity, and energy issues.
Introducing hedgerows may seem complex, but it is fascinating!
Since the start of 2020, nearly 15km of hedgerows have been planted!
The next step, at the end of June 2021, will be to clear undergrowth along the planted rows. See you next winter to replace the few plants that haven’t regrown and to plant new rows!
Written by Luc Bertrand BOIS NEGOCE ENERGIE
