Vegan Land Movement - planting trees in Somerset

 

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 edge and is pretty waterlogged. From a carbon sequestration perspective, planting on peat has been found not to increase carbon capture. However the area is heavily grazed and wildlife needs support to flourish. Therefore a suitable plan of planting around the 4 sides of the plot was devised while keeping the centre unplanted to allow natural rewilding. This will leave space for invertebrates to thrive and lay their eggs with the trees giving protection from the wind and the sun warming the ground. Hopefully mammals such as dormice will be offered protection as well.

I was able to give a couple of hours to help plant mixed deciduous, native trees last Friday and thoroughly enjoyed meeting people behind the scheme and working with other volunteers. The team behind the event had the trees, mulch mats and pegs, stakes, spades all ready to go.

Cake and snacks were provided to keep the workers fuelled    

        

On the Saturday after more mixed deciduous tree planting in the morning, I was part of a small team that went to their 3rd site. This had been sold with planning permission for a poultry farm. Instead the Vegan Land Movement has purchased it and we planted 30 apple trees in a couple of hours to create an orchard. This will be visible from the road and in time available for the local community. 

 

    This land was much harder to work and was solid clay.

We were so lucky with the weather and accompanied by bird song and queen bumblebees looking for suitable nests while planting in the sunshine.

Straight line of apple trees with mulch mats and stakes fitted

A fabulous total of 850 trees were planted over the two days.

The Vegan Land Movement is a national organisation and I hope that in time they will be able to purchase land in other parts of the country including Cumbria. Rewilding the fells, increasing tree planting for biodiversity and carbon capture, as well as improving water management are all important changes needed.

To donate to help with future purchases https://globalvegancrowdfunder.org/vegan-land-movement-animal-agriculture-land-buyout/ (any money not needed for plot 5 will go forward for plot 6)