Natural regeneration for the next generation

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, 13 November 2022
Natural regeneration for the next generation
Tree mapping at Maidenbower Junior School © Sam Roberts

By Tom Simpson

Gatwick Greenspace Partnership Manager

We have been working with Maidenbower Junior School in Crawley for a number of years now, both on their school grounds and off-site, but our latest visit tried something a little bit different.

The school asked us about planting trees as, like many schools, they were keen to help with the climate emergency by growing trees to capture and store carbon.

Tree mapping at Maidenbower Junior School © Sam Roberts
Tree mapping at Maidenbower Junior School © Sam Roberts

But when we arrived to scope out the site, we were pleased to see how many young trees were starting to establish of their own accord. Some were spreading out from the hedgerow we helped plant in 2014, and others had been seeded from surrounding Oaks and other mature trees.

We were keen to make the most of this natural regeneration, which is much better than tree planting for lots of reasons. Firstly, one of the most important considerations when planting trees is putting the right tree in the right place, but nature had already made this decision for us. Natural regeneration also creates greater natural diversity than tree planting, and ensures local genetic stock - meaning the young trees are well-adapted for their local environment and likely to establish well, often growing faster than newly-planted trees would. Since there was no need to buy in trees for planting, there would be no carbon footprint associated with growing or transporting them, and no risk of accidentally bringing in pests or disease. And since the trees had already established themselves, there would be no need for plastic tree guards or lots of watering, making it both easier and cheaper than planting too.

Tree mapping at Maidenbower Junior School © Sam Roberts
Tree mapping at Maidenbower Junior School © Sam Roberts

So, instead of planting more trees we decided to map and protect what was already there, establishing naturally. The students spread out to search for saplings, marking their locations with coloured hoops then carefully clearing the grass around each one and adding plenty of mulch at the base, to keep the grass down and help the trees grow. Using a drone, we could get a really clear view of just how much natural regeneration there was, and how it connects with the wider landscape.

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