Sabre Planting with the Tree Shepherd

Back to the trees…. It was a cold, windy day last June when I spent an inspirational day touring Snowdonia, where Steve showed me a selection of his tree planting sites. I imagined that we would be going out to see the occasional tree struggling to grow on inaccessible crags. The reality is very different and quite awe-inspiring. Steve showed me vast areas of hillsides covered in young native woodland, aged up to about 30 years old. We visited half a dozen sites like this, and I was told that there are many more: it would take several days to visit them all. It is a remarkable achievement by any measure, and more so as these woodlands were all established in the presence of continued sheep grazing on the land.



A similar strategy, known as ‘protective clover planting’, is to plant the trees in the edge of gorse bushes, or in other vegetation such as bracken or bramble, or even Japanese knotweed. As the trees grow, they shade out most of the gorse or bracken, creating extra pasture as well as shelter for the animals. The trick is in observing what is in the landscape and making use of the features, keeping in mind how livestock behaves and how the trees will grow.


The different methods can be used in combination on sites. No fence planting is very simple as a concept, but in the field there are many, often subtle, differences between sites, making each unique. The practice has many elements which must be taken into account together for best success.
As well as improving the landscape and helping wildlife, the methods provide many benefits to farmers: the trees provide shelter from the elements to livestock; there is no loss of grazing land at any time during the establishment of the trees; no change in land-use, with the areas remaining agricultural rather than becoming forestry; gorse and bracken are diminished as the trees develop a canopy, allowing more grass to grow between and under the trees; wood pasture is created.

A very Happy New Year To you Simon and All of your colleagues in the Cambrian Wildwood Scheme!!!
Congratulations on yet another hope and inspirational article. This time on “Sabre Tree” planting and featuring a true unsung conservation hero of out fractious and trouble dominated era. Nearly four years ago, we watched from our Observatory below, on the Dovey salt marsh, as ‘ Steve Trees’ [ Steve Watson ]; your good self and others; built the Osprey nest subsequently occupied by Blue 24 and her sad attempts to raise her broods on that site.
I was deeply impressed with Steve’s zeal and single minded crusade. Not only with his extensive restorative work with Ospreys, but his creating nest boxes for other species in
North Wales. He has created a wildlife corridor for us, with a mixture of trees planted across over half a mile of the saltings. it is proving its worth already!
I am absolutely delighted that you are including Steve Trees in all of your ‘Re wilding’ and tree planting schemes. His insight and expertise are both extensive and profound, and your combined endeavours will last well into the future. I fervently hope you are able to expand and enlarge your existing land holdings. Please convey my compliments to him and yours. May I remind all of you that I have further proposals for more Osprey nests on hidden
flanks of the Dovey area: Congratulations to all again: Keep in touch!!!!!
Great to hear from you, Jim. I agree that Steve merits far more acknowledgement. If I was the queen, I would give him a knighthood. Good news about your plans for more osprey nests.
I think Steve is doing a fantastic job, I build and erect nest boxes but on a much smaller scale in and around Blackwood South Wales, I wonder has he any plans to erect Osprey boxes in and around the Brecon Beacons I think there is suitable habitat, they are seen regularly in the summer months and autumn at Llandegfedd Reservoir near Pontypool would be great for them to colonise this part of Wales. Carry on the great work Steve.
Thanks for your responses Gents: A Knighthood is long overdue for Steve, though I doubt if his politics would be much in favour of such an honour?
Robert, I shall pass on your recommendations to Steve Trees at the first opportunity. His osprey Platforms with hand built timbered nests are second to none. I am actively trying to return OSPREYs, as breeding pairs to my old family area of the Towy and Taff estuaries. “Bridging ” contacts have been agreed and local landowners are slowly but showing increasing interest in my proposals.They hold key areas. I agree with you; there are so many reservoirs in your area; not forgetting LLangorse lake as potential sites for the future!
Who can I contact to volunteer to plant trees in Snowdonia
Hi Monica,
I have passed on your contact details to Steve Watson the tree shepherd
H Simon
Thanks for your interesting article. Inspiring .
My wife and I have a 9-acre smallholding in Ceredigion straddling the River Arth. We have begun the process of transforming our grazing land into a natural habitat by planting a 100 large native trees this winter. But we are novices at this stage and would love to speak or meet Steve if that were at all possible. Please pass on our details and do let us know if there are any events Coetir Anian along these lines. We would love to help because we think the project is simply brilliant.
Best
Tom Roberts
tomrobertsoctober@googlemail.com