Bel's Wood

  An oak sapling planted successfully - staked, guarded and mulch mat in place I came across the Vegan Land Movement and was impressed by their values and approach. They raise money through Crowd Funding ie small donations from many people, then buy plots of farming land to create wild spaces. They have purchased 4 plots of land in Somerset and have raised funds for a 5th. They will continue to raise money and buy land. They use the land in a suitable manner depending on what they have purchased all underpinned by vegan values. More details about the charity can be found on their website and links to donate:  https://globalvegancrowdfunder.org/vegan-land-movement-cic/?fbclid=IwAR0108GcQtJDPOj8Suv8TW6zqeYJ-ZTtFYowlf4qnaJUErIJeWedw_yeIus   Last weekend they invited volunteers to help plant trees in the Somerset levels. They have taken advice from suitable experts about options. As always there are controversies and the plot I visited is peat based. It has drains around ...

The Lyth Valley is famous for its damsons. This is the Westmorland Damson Association https://www.lythdamsons.org.uk/thedamson.html Mission Statement   The Westmorland Damson Association seeks to enhance the economy and landscape of traditional damson growing areas in Cumbria by supporting the growing, picking and use of Westmorland damsons My land is in the Gilpin Valley which is in between the Lyth Valley and Winster Valley which are renowned for damson trees. The grant I have is for woodland creation and cannot be used to plant fruit trees - which would be funded by a separate orchard grant. I have had in my mind that I can fill in spaces outside the grant funded area with some local damson trees due to the special location of the wood. The history of the Westmorland Damson can be found here https://www.lythdamsons.org.uk/thedamson.html and is worth a read (the name damson is derived from Damascus where they may have come from during the Crusades but also t...