Update 08/06/22: Although this was a very successful proposal to show to Kesgrave Town Council, I have since rewritten it for the viewer in a more engaging and almost ‘prose-style’ way, which is inspired and uses the same formula as Agnes Denes’ proposal for A Forest For New York – A Peace Park For Mind And Soul.
This is my proposal to Kesgrave Town Council for the rewilding project down Cedarwood Walk in Kesgrave:
About the Area:
Kesgrave is largely built on sand, and the areas that we will be rewilding are also such (see map below).
(Map Source: Kesgrave Community Website (2021) Soil Composition. Available at: https://www.kesgrave.org.uk/kcw-history-details/kcw-historic-maps.html (accessed: 7 February 2022))
Therefore, the trees and plants that we select for planting need to reflect this soil type.
Trees:
The packs of trees that I had selected for planting (from the woodland trust website here), are for planting in England, and are generically suitable for the country, and include:
These trees should all fare well on both Cedarwood Walk and Jolly’s Pightle, as they are all reasonably hardy and grow on scrub land. Additionally, the Field Maple is particularly known for fighting and being resistant to pollution, making it ideal for the purpose of planting. Each pack contains 15 saplings, and they require to be planted at a rough distance of 2m apart, although consideration of the final size of the plant must also be made.
Wildflowers and Grasses:
There are a few different types of wildflower and grass seed mixes (From British Wildflower Seeds: website here) that I have found, which we could plant, the first being the Bee Wildflower Seed Mix, which has eighteen species of wildflowers in it (including: Cornflower, Field-forget-me-not, Corn Marigold, Corn Poppy), designed to attract a range of bees and pollinators. There is also a Sandy Soil Meadow Mix, which has seven species of wildflower and seven grass species (Including: Common knapweed, Meadow Buttercup, Crested Dogtstail (grass). Native bulbs (Website here) (including: Bluebells, Daffodils, Snowdrops) would also be good to plant, although these have to be planted in the autumn.
Cedarwood Walk:
(Map Source: Google Maps (2022) Rewilding map: Cedarwood Walk. Available at: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ZshAvKjW-vkyvubZ7mD-JgokZdraR-8&usp=sharing (Accessed: 31 May 2022))
Cedarwood Walk is a long thin stretch of land, bordering the cycle track running down towards Cedarwood Primary School. It is around 266m long, and at its widest point, around 13m wide (average 10m wide). The green space is broken up into three sections, the “North” (nearest Oak Meadow and the traffic lights), “Central” (in the middle) and “South” (closest Long Strops), and for convenience, I have broken the plan into these three sections.
As it borders housing, tree cover should be dispersed so as not to become an issue for the residents, with trees spaced between 4-10m apart from each other, the space around them filled with wildflower seeds and grasses.
My current plans involve the planting of trees, as these hugely increase the biodiversity of all living organisms in an area, as well as creating shade in a quite open space during the summer. However, I am also aware that planting trees is a larger commitment (in terms of the amount of work and funding needed) than the planting of flowers and the creation of a wildflower meadow. Therefore the creation of a wildflower meadow here is also a possibility, using the same flower packs that I have previously identified.
Planting Time Frame:
Although the trees can be planted all year around, if purchased between March and September, they will need to be planted straight away, as they are in their ideal growing stage, and if not embedded in soil, will start to die. During October to February, the trees won’t be growing so much, and therefore there is more leeway in planting times. The wildflower seeds need to be sewn onto the earth rather than lawn, and are ideally sewn in late summer and early autumn. Therefore, if we could start planting in late summer/early autumn, this would be ideal for both.
Cedarwood Walk North:
(Map Source: Google Maps (2022) Rewilding map: Cedarwood Walk. Available at: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1ZshAvKjW-vkyvubZ7mD-JgokZdraR-8&usp=sharing (Accessed: 31 May 2022))
The above image shows a rough proposal for the placement of trees in this section. Each tree is placed between 4 and 8m apart from each other, which should allow for enough growing space between each tree. There are 11 trees in this placement. Additionally, there are no trees within 4m of each house, to make sure that they don’t encroach on them. However, the placement is fully flexible and can be easily altered to suit the land better. The grasses and wildflowers can then be planted around them, increasing the biodiversity of the area.
Cedarwood Walk Central:
Cedarwood walk central is more or less the same as north, it is one stretch of land, slightly narrower than the other, and more divided by footpaths. There is enough space to plant around eleven trees at a distance of around 4m apart from each other. The plan from Cedarwood Walk North could then be copied in this area.
Cedarwood Walk South:
Cedarwood Walk South is a little different from the previous two locations, due to the shape of it, and the installation in the centre. Therefore, although the area is large, there is only really enough space to plant around five trees at a distance of around 4m apart. The plan for planting wildflowers around the trees could then be implemented here too.
Spaces for People:
Although rewilding focuses on the wildlife aspect, it is also important to remember the importance of people being able to enjoy this site together in order to boost mental health in the community. One way to do this is through getting them involved in the planting of the area, but another would be for the potential installation of a bench of two along the area, creating somewhere where people are able to go and enjoy being in nature, whilst also not being far from their houses. This is something that will need extra planning, and which can come later in the project – I just wanted to bring the idea to your attention now, at this early stage.
