In 2019 we were very honoured to receive a donation of a dozen Black Poplar whips from Wakehurst Place via the County Council officer who has been dealing with the management plan at Riverside Park.
As they arrived just after National Tree Week and our mass planting day they were immediately planted into our newly acquired “nursery”. Some of them were planted directly on the edges of the Park and are now growing well with a number of disease resistant Elms, a Cherry tree and some Ash.
Weather, Covid and availability of volunteers has meant that it’s taken a few attempts to remove the nursery whips to their new home on the northern edge of the Park but finally we’ve managed it – 8 whips (3 males and 5 females) have been arranged in groups of 3 and 2.
Thank you to Jan Knowlson and her trusty National Park Ranger volunteers who made a suitable clearing for the planting and to Virginia Pullan for trusting us with these beautiful rare Sussex trees. We will be checking them regularly to ensure they don’t get damaged by the quick growing scrub and local wildlife.
There’s still a lot of work to do around last November’s planting – most of the whips have been taken over by scrub which needs clearing and we need to check which ones have survived a harsh summer with very little water. Thanks to LDC for carrying out a couple of waterings, not sure if it was effective or not but only time will tell.
If anyone fancies giving us a hand we’re always on the look out for enthusiastic volunteers.
Lesley
Chair of Friends of Riverside Park & Valley Ponds, Newhaven
Chair of Greenhavens
