NATURAL HERITAGE TREE PROJECT Sir Gar Carmarthenshire Federation NEWSLETTER NO. 3 – WINTER 2018 Dear Members here is our 3rd Update on Progress STOP PRESS January 2019 – I have been approached by NFWI asking for Carmarthenshire to be featured in an item Radio Wales will be doing on the Tree Project. The plan is that they will join us on a Walk or a ‘Measuring Trip’. Please let me know if you are interested in participating as soon as possible so that we can prepare. TRAINING DAY to be held on Wednesday 13th March 2019 at the Athletic Club in Johnstown. We will focus on practical ‘hands on’ data input for members. One of the issues has been the unreliability of the Treezilla database and some lack of clarity between the OPAL TREE SURVEY and TREEZILLA. CHAMPIONS - PLEASE TRY TO MAKE YOURSELVES AVAILABLE FOR THIS EVENT but anyone interested in the Project is welcome – it is not too late to get involved in the Project. One of the other topics on the Training Day will be to ask Tree Champions to report on their Progress to Date. It would be really helpful if you were able to let me know in advance – whatever your progress – so that we can meet the criteria of the Grant which has been made available to NFWI for this Project. Woodland Trust – free tree packs The ‘application window’ for 2019 planting will be Open on 7th January so please do get your plans together and apply to the Woodland Trust www.woodlandtrust.org.uk in the New Year. I attended a meeting of the Project Steering Group on 13th November in Cardiff and it was useful in sharing information. The key messages were:- The Grant monies are only available until September 2019 The money is dependent upon W.I.s meeting the target set which for us was:- that 18 – 20 W.I.s and we are on target. Also that we would aspire to planting 1250 trees. We are doing well with the numbers of Trees approved from the Woodland Trust ; and the total, as far as I am aware, stands at around 800 new trees. It was agreed that ALL trees planted by W.I. members, or on their behalf [for those of us not up to actually digging holes] can be counted. THIS INCLUDES PLANTING PROJECTS APPROVED BY AGENCIES SUCH AS WELSH GOVERNMENT GLASTIR GRANTS – please be sure to indicate the source of funding PLEASE LET ME HAVE A PROGRESS REPORT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – PARTICULARLY WITH PHOTOGRAPHS IF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN PLANTING OR OUT ON A MEASURING EXERCISE GUIDED TREE IDENTIFICATION WALKS FOR 2019 – we are organising 2 more walks as these seemed to be popular - Walk 1 – May 2019 Walk 2 – August 2019. If anyone has a favourite place then please do let me know and we can organise around that location. PROJECTS completed and ongoing Hermon –Canolfan Hermon – 90 trees were planted as a fruiting hedge on 22nd and 24th November with the local Rainbows; Brownies and Guides and a class of school children from Newcastle Emlyn. This was supported by the Local Councillor, alongside the Community Council. We had permission to take photos of the young people. St. Clears – on 10th December - planted 22 mixed trees around the playing fields and the remaining 8 trees were planted near the skatepark area to create a hawthorn hedge– and I have some nice photos. Holy Cross Convent –the application to Woodland Trust for a pack of 420 has been approved and these arrive early in the New Year. Five Roads – the W.I. are working with the Community Centre to plant a specimen Oak Tree, plus discussions ongoing for additional plantings. Trees in St. David’s Avenue and replacement of the Carmarthen Oak – discussions taking place with the Town Mayor Councillor Emlyn Schiavone. Flowering Cherry Tree in the grounds of QE High School – Federation Chair Anne Halborg working with the School. Pumsaint W.I. have measured a number of well established oaks in the area and forwarded the results to Opal. Trap W.I. – 90 Years’ Old – have been very busy – they have:- * Distrubuted 100 OPAL packs to members to measure and record health of trees. * They hope to plant 90 trees to commemorate Trap WI's 90 th Anniversary * Contacted Brecon Carreg who were very supportive of our project .I was invited to their 40th Anniversary celebration where they announced that instead of giving guests a gift pack , they would plant a tree for each attendee.They will keep us informed of any planting * Visited Trap Patchwork and Quilters group and they have agreed to make a quilt featuring panels of indigenous British trees. * The Trap poets plan to produce literary works in both Welsh and English. * Contacted Dyffryn Cennen Community Council,also our County Councillor who has given me a form to apply for additional funding They are all supportive of the project Cwmffrwd W.I. for Part 2 they approached the Community Council via the template letter who responded with a very helpful reply as to the questions raised. In the meanwhile the Council has completed the installation of two memorial benches, and the W.I. have informally verbally asked if there's a possibility of planting companion trees . They await a response. Llansteffan W.I. – surveyed and photographed a group of Ash trees and a line of Horse Chestnuts, and entered the data into OPAL and TREEZILLA. Ongoing consultation with Local Committee and Sports Association hoping to plant trees around the local Cricket and Football Pitches. Llannon – several photo sessions of local Churchyard; School and particular specimen trees. One tree pack from Woodland Trust has been ordered. Salem W.I. have decided to put a tree in Llandeilo churchyard. Several W.I.s have reported the issue of Ash Die Back – all the more reason to get out and plant more trees! I hope these reports have inspired you, and given you ideas about how to take the Project forward. SOMETHING EVERY W.I. MEMBER IN CARMARTHENSHIRE CAN DO Plant just one tree – whatever the size in your garden – and then every W.I. will have made a big contribution to the Project – AND HAVE HELPED THE ENVIRONMENT! Adopt a Tree – there must be a tree you look at on a regular basis and think “isn’t that lovely” – SO – just take a photograph and tell us a little bit about why you like the tree so much and enter into our Competition. Suitable prizes for best combination of Photograph and Narrative – we hope to do the judging in the Autumn. More information on this to come. .