Ille-et-Vilaine department of France, February 2023
Planting in February 2020 at Loïc and Jean-Philippe’s farm aimed to create meadows for dairy cows. In total, 269 trees of 11 different species were planted: 190 trees in rows within the plot and 79 trees in hedgerows bordering the plot, along the fence. An initial tree monitoring stage, carried out before the winter of 2020-2021, revealed a mortality rate of 5% and poor adaptation of the Downy oaks, mainly due to the extreme heat in the summer of 2020 and a batch of poor-quality seedlings. During replanting over the winter of 2020-2021, the 12 dead Downy oaks were replaced and the species showing a poor recovery rate changed.
Further monitoring of the trees in September 2021 and spring 2022, more than one and a half years after planting, served to assess tree growth and adaptation, as well as the work to be carried out over the winter 2022-2023. All 269 trees were monitored.
The recovery rate is good despite excess mortality of the downy oaks, whose seedlings were not the best quality (6% mortality in total). The trees were replaced in the spring of 2022 with species better adapted to local conditions, namely corm, elm, lime, and alder. These species have on average grown almost one metre since planting! The white elm, holm oak, and mulberry trees have adapted well, and their growth is good, although not as fast as the other species, with a recovery rate of 100%.
The next maintenance steps will focus on (i) monitoring the mulch made from shredded wood from the farm hedges and (ii) replanting over the winter of 2022-2023.
The plot was grazed by cows, who took an interest in the trees but didn’t cause any damage thanks to the protective measures adapted for cattle farming and installed correctly (sheaths and electric fencing). The trees are not yet providing shade for the herd because they are too young yet are already starting to deliver benefits for the ecosystem. The grass strips along the rows of tree are well maintained. They help the trees grow deep roots and support healthy soil structure, water retention, increased biodiversity, and carbon storage in the soil.
