Trees in Scrooby

Tree Planting

Plan for Tree Planting in Scrooby Feb 2012

The document sets out proposals for individual tree planting and

hedge planting within the parish of Scrooby. It has been developed

within the context of the Parish Council's Village Plan and

Nottinghamshire County Council?s Countryside Appraisal of the

Idle Lowlands in which Scrooby and its surroundings are identified

as 'Village Sandlands'. Five areas are selected for inclusion in this

proposal. They are marked on a copy of the Countryside

Commission Map dated 2002 included in Appendix 1. The

document also makes reference to the plant surveys undertaken by

Scrooby Garden Club during 2009. It outlines both new planting

and maintenance of existing trees and hedges within the five areas.

This document was adopted by the parish council at their meeting

of 12 March 2012.

Village Plan

Details of the village plan can be found on the Scrooby village web

site www.scrooby.net.

Here are some extracts relevant to this proposal.

Special consideration should be given to preserving existing

hedges and ancient walls which run throughout the village

settlement and the surrounding countryside ... they are an

attractive village features which provide good cover and habitats

for wildlife.

Trees are very important to the village landscape. For example

there are magnificent mature trees on the Croft, in the churchyard

and in gardens in the village centre.

The Parish Council is currently seeking a preservation order on

the group of Scots Pines situated at the north end of Mill Lane.

These have been a noted landmark for the village since the 18th

century.

It would be desirable to retain existing trees and hedges and to

encourage new ones.

Features of the village environment that help wildlife should be

preserved, particularly trees and hedges within the village itself.

The Croft

The Croft already contains a number of mature trees which have

recently been maintained by Bassetlaw District Council (BDC). The

large horse chestnut near the play area was suffering from bleeding

canker and has been cut down. There are plans to have the stump

cut into a sculpture. A large specimen oak (Quercus robur) was

bought by the Garden Club in 2008 and planted in memory of one

of it?s members, Brenda Willis. This tree will help to replace the

felled chestnut in years to come.

In the 1970s the Parish Council (PC) planted other trees on the croft

on the east border, only two of these survive. In 2007 a rowan tree

was planted on this east border using proceeds from the village

The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20200814173832/https://www.scrooby.net/page/treePlantingInScrooby

show.The play area within the Croft has a post and rail fence

surrounding it and a variety of trees and hedging.

Suggested Planting and Maintenance

The hedge along the north side of the play area is mainly beech but

there are some gaps. Plant 15 new beech whips to fill these gaps.

Maintain these and the existing beech plants to prevent them

becoming too tall.

The hedge surrounding the east and west sides of the play area also

has some gaps. Plant five new fruit trees (apple, plum, hazel) and

native hedging to fill the gaps.

Plant specimen trees (an Oak and another Rowen) and a group of

three birch trees along the east border of the Croft towards Station

Avenue, this planting to be kept clear of the area outside Alpha

House.

Plant three new specimen oak trees along the south border of the

Croft between the existing mature horse chestnut and sycamore

trees, leaving vehicle access to the croft where the kerb is lowered.

A 2.5m Christmas tree (Abies Normanniana) has recently been

planted outside the south side of the village hall; this tree should

need little maintenance beyond inspection and thorough watering

in the event of extreme drought.

The existing and new hedges around the play area should be

maintained at a height of 4 feet.

The Whinz

The Whinz is a relict fragment of Scrooby's Common, it lies to the

north of the village. There are two areas either side of the A638.

Both are sandy wasteland next to the river Ryton. It is the home of a

wide variety of plants and animals. The results of the plant survey

completed by the Garden Club are listed on the Scrooby village web

site.

The East Whinz

The East Whinz is bounded on the south side by the river Ryton and

on the north side by Mill Lane. There are a number of mature

willow trees close to the river and some younger trees (ash, alder,

birch, hornbeam, maple and oak) which were planted by the PC in

the 1970s. These trees, along with gorse scrub and mixed hedging

along the north border, provide a valuable habitat for wildlife.

Opposite this area stand a group of mature Scots Pines which are a

significant landmark in the village. The paths through the area are

overgrown making some parts impenetrable. The boundary along

Mill Lane is particularly prone to fly tipping.

Suggested planting and maintenance

A mixed native species hedge (see Appendix 2) to be planted in the

gaps in the north boundary and a post and rail fence to be erected

all along the north boundary with Mill Lane on the lane side of the

hedge (estimated at 250 m in all). This work to be carried out by

contractors or the BCD; previous attempts to establish a hedge in

the gaps has shown the task to be unsuitable for the Garden Club's

community gardeners.

Ten Scots Pines were planted by the Garden Club in 2010 in this

area. Three have survived. These three trees to be inspected and

protected and an additional ten Scots Pines planted. This should be

repeated until a significant group of trees has been established to

compliment the existing Scots Pines as a village landmark.

Maintenance of the paths to give access to the area.

The West Whinz

This area is much the same as the East Whinz but with less trees, no

planting was done here in the 1970s. It is a less visited area and

provides a secluded habitat where wildlife flourishes. The hedge

separating it from the road, Gibbert Lane, is continuous apart from

access points, most of the fly tipping here takes place on the

opposite side of Gibbert Lane. The land is very dry and sandy

making it difficult to establish anything but very young trees here.

Suggested Planting and Maintenance

The hedge along the north side which runs along Gibbert Lane

should be laid provided it is suitable.

The fence which divides the area from the caravan site and fisheries

to the west should be repaired to prevent vehicles entering that way.

Trees should be planted as seeds, acorns, sweet chestnuts, beech

nuts, hazel nuts.

Station Road

In 2008 Nottinghamshire County Council removed some mature

ash and willow trees from the verges of Station Road, the willow is

now re-growing.

Suggested Planting and Maintenance

Plant 50m mixed native hedging and 10 specimen native trees along

the south side of Station Road where the ash trees were removed.

Great North Road

The route into and out of Scrooby along the A638 from the north

and the south are bounded by large fields with few hedges. Mixed

native hedging and specimen trees should be planted throughout

the A638 as it passes through the parish.

Scrooby South Quarry

The quarry area should be considered as a separate project in

collaboration with Scrooby Top Quarry.

Appendix 1

Scrooby Tree Planting

Map of Scrooby Parish

Appendix 2 - Species List

Hedges

There is a tradition, dating back to the inclosure of open fields in

1775, of hawthorn (sometimes called quickthorn or May blossom)

hedges with post and rail fencing.

But in order to increase diversity of species this plan will propose

mixed native hedging to include 40% Hawthorn Crataegus

monogyna and 10% each Blackthorn Prunus spinosa, Field Maple

Acer campestre, Holly Ilex aquifolium, Geulder Rose Viburnum

opulus, Dogwood Cornus sanguinea, Wayfaring Tree Viburnum

lantana

It is recommended that hedges are planted by a contractor to

increase the survival rate.

Trees

Native trees typical of the area:

Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris

Birch Betula pendula

Oak Quercus robur

Ash Fraxinus excelsior

Hazel Corylus avellana

Crabapple Malus sylvestris

Alder Alnus glutinosa

Rowen Sorbus aucuparia

References

Scrooby Village Web Site

Scrooby Village Plan

Garden Club Plant Survey

Nottinghamshire County Council Countryside Appraisal - Idle