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Orton hedges its bets
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Orton hedges its bets
Location: Cumbria
November 2002
Local residents and volunteers got stuck in during the latest phase of conservation of Orton Community Parkland at Carsa Braw.
 Following an LHI grant of more than £16,000, one thousand native tree saplings including hawthorn, blackthorn, crab apple, hazel, holly, field maple and rowan have been planted to form a new hedge by residents of Orton, as well as local farmers.
The species have been carefully chosen as ones that naturally occur in and around Orton. In addition, six oak saplings have also been planted to replace older trees on the site, as they die out due to old age. The hedge will provide a source of food and cover for local wildlife and the saplings have been protected from rabbits and other animals with plastic mesh tubes until they are properly established. The hedge will be managed traditionally and will be ‘laid’ to ensure that the structure remains dense and bushy for decades to come.
The under-managed traditional meadow within the site has been spread with cuttings from similar meadows and road sides in the hope that wild flower seeds, such as Wood Crane’s Bill and Yellow or Hay Rattle, will germinate and get re-established. Sweepings from a hay barn have also been used to encourage traditional meadow plants to colonise the area.
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