Some of our residents in Devon attended a How to Grow Your Own Fruit Tree Workshop to learn more about planting with our tree officer.
Residents, who take the time to look after communal fruit trees on LiveWest land, were invited along to the interactive session at our Community Orchard at Barkers Way in North Tawton where there is a mixture of apple, pear, and cherry trees.
There was an opportunity for volunteers to try their hand at mulching trees which involves placing a thick layer of material over the soil or around plants to supress weeds, support moisture and protect them from the wind or sunlight. They also could talk to us about nature and have a chance to meet other residents.
Our resident, Claire Crocker, said: “It was a really enjoyable and informative day. It was also useful to make connections with another resident who looks after an area close to where I live and hopefully, we can support each other.”
The Community Orchard was originally funded £2,400 by LiveWest to help with the bench carving project run by Carving Communities CIC, bird boxes, signage and mature trees but has since progressed to include bee-friendly planters, and plants.
The orchard has 14 fruit trees planted by local families and we are also maintaining an area as meadow grass, Alison Knight, our Community Connector, worked with local residents to develop the idea and arranged the training day. Local residents and North Tawton Nature and Sustainability are looking after the trees and the planters.
Owain Holland, our Tree Officer, said: “The event went really well, it’s always nice to engage with our residents and the public who share a passion for trees and green spaces.
“It was a good chance to help our residents claim ownership of their local area and to help them have more skills and knowledge to be able to decide how they want to run things.
“I think the community at North Tawton are already building a wonderful community around this young orchard, giving them more support and expertise will allow them to pass it on to others and ensure the project thrives.”
Residents have used the community space to hold events and that included a bee-planter event where residents could enjoy cupcakes and family games and is continuing to be a much-used space for the community to come together.
We are proud to support community projects and initiatives across our communities in the South West. If you have an idea or would like to find out more, get in touch with our community connectors.
