Devon Hedge Tree Competition winners announced
Glenn Bealey (second from left), first prize, with competition judges
and young hedgerow tree overlooking Great Torrington
Glenn, Della and John Bealey from Week Farm near Great Torrington have been awarded
first prize in the Devon Hedge Tree Competition.
Glenn is passionate about hedgerows and has planted many hedge trees on his 310 acre beef, sheep
and arable farm in recent years. Glenn says “Increasing the number and variety of hedgerow trees
on our farm has benefitted wildlife and the landscape hugely, and I’ve found planting and looking
after them very rewarding. The farm is now a much more attractive place, at little extra cost. We
are delighted to have won first prize”.
Dr Rob Wolton, Chairman of the Devon Hedge Group, says “The Bealey family have done a fantastic
job encouraging new hedgerow trees on their farm and looking after existing ones. Clearly both they
and their hedge cutting contractors Robert Grills and Richard Hookway take great pride in these
trees, much to the benefit of both the local community and the environment. Week Farm is an
excellent example of how hedgerow trees, young and old, can be cared for within the context of a
commercial, profitable, farm business.”
Glenn, together with his wife Della and father John, supported by their hedge cutting contractors,
have planted hundreds of new hedgerow trees on their farm and marked many natural saplings and
stems so they can be allowed to grow up. They have also restored hedge banks, planted two new
hedges and created new ponds. Their main challenge has been protecting the young trees from
cattle which at times seem to think they are giraffes!
The Bealeys are actively engaged with the local community and have used their land to host mock
battles, as well as leasing ground for football pitches and providing storage facilities for the local
scout group.
Richard and Lisa Gray of Priddons Farm, Holne, Dartmoor, received second prize. The judges were
impressed by the number and range of native hedgerow trees they have fostered in an area of very
high landscape value despite the challenges of high altitude and exposure.
Third place went to Andrew Hendy of Ley Farm, Diptford, in the South Hams and the South Devon
AONB, in recognition of the numerous young hedge trees that Andrew has selected to grow on.
Jim and Roberta Powell at Holne Court Farm, Holne; Colin Wakeham, Colston Farm, Buckfastleigh
and Geoff and Cathy Pitt, Oaklands, Brandis Corner were each Highly Commended.
Hedgerow oak on Week Farm
Further information
The competition, designed to promote the importance of hedge trees in advance of the threat posed
by ash dieback disease, was held by the Devon Hedge Group and sponsored by local tree
nursery, Perrie Hale Nursery, The Woodland Trust and The Tree Council.
An event to celebrate the Bealeys’ win will be held at Week Farm, Great Torrington, on Monday 14
November, 11.30am to 2pm. Members of the press are invited to attend. Other attendance by
invitation only, please – contact Glenn Bealey or Rob Wolton (details below).
Hedgerow trees are under threat and numbers are falling. Not enough young trees are being allowed to grow
to replace those that die or are felled. Dutch elm disease resulted in the loss of many thousands, and now ash
dieback disease poses in an even bigger risk.
There are about 7 million trees outside woodlands in Devon and most of these are in our hedges. About 30%
of them, or nearly 2 million, are ash trees. Even in urban areas ashes are common – there’s an estimated
95,000 in Torbay alone. It is likely at least half of these ashes will either die or be dying back in the next 5 to 15
years, perhaps as many as 90%. Without farmers taking positive action to replace them, tree numbers will fall
drastically.
Hedgerow trees are important landscape features in our farmed countryside and are vital for wildlife, either
alone or in association with the hedgerow and other habitats. They are magnets for many insects including
beetles, flies, moths and butterflies, and so in turn for their predators like bats and birds. As an example,
research shows that the presence of hedgerow trees can increase overall numbers of moths in an area by as
much as 60%. Hedgerow trees, particularly hollow and veteran ones, provide vital shelter, food and nest sites.
Many plants and fungi live on hedgerow trees including ferns, lichens and the sadly oft maligned ivy. Bats roost
and breed in the holes and crevices in older trees and birds including nuthatch, great spotted woodpecker and
tawny owl will nest in them.
The Devon Hedge Group is a partnership of organisations and individuals working together to foster support
for hedge conservation in Devon, particularly through promoting management that optimises the value of
hedges for farming, wildlife, landscape, archaeological and cultural purposes, whilst acknowledging practical
farming constraints.
http://devonhedges.org/
Perrie Hale Nursery has provided quality native trees and shrubs for many planting projects, including new
hedges and hedgerow trees, for over 50 years. All our stock is grown from the best UK seed available and
grown using the best possible care.
www.perriehale.co.uk
The Woodland Trust is the UK's largest woodland conservation charity and the leading voice for woods and
trees. We inspire people up and down the country to visit, cherish and protect woods, plant more trees,
treasure wildlife, and enjoy the overwhelming benefits that woods and trees offer to our landscape and lives.
www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
The Tree Council is the UK's leading charity for trees, promoting their importance in a changing environment.
The Tree Council works to make trees matter to everyone. It is committed to: More trees, of the right kind, in
the right places; Better care for all trees, of all ages; and Inspiring effective action for trees. The Tree Council
launched its national Hedge Tree Campaign in 2004.
www.treecouncil.org.uk
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For more information on Devon hedges and their trees see http://devonhedges.org/
For free digital photographs of hedge trees, please contact [email protected]
For more information on ash dieback (Chalara) in Devon see
http://www.naturaldevon.org.uk/devons-wildlife/devon-ash-dieback-actionplan/
Contacts:
Glenn Bealey, Week Farm, Great Torrington, EX38 7HU, 01805 623029 & 07971 251361
Robert Wolton, Chairman, Devon Hedge Group, [email protected], 01837 810416
Tom Hynes, North Devon Biosphere Service, [email protected], 01271 388534 & 07968 079431
Nick Davey, Perrie Hale Nursery, Honiton, 01404 43344
Jon Stokes, The Tree Council, [email protected], 07850 389862
Nick Atkinson, Woodland Trust, [email protected], 0343 770 5696 & 07824 409467
Glenn Bealey with his cattle and young hedgerow trees