Home / Environment / Dorset Field Blooms: 10 Years, 101,000 Trees Strong
Dorset Field Blooms: 10 Years, 101,000 Trees Strong
30 Sep
Summary
- Over 101,000 trees and shrubs planted on 157 acres.
- Farmland transformed into a woodland and wildlife habitat.
- Project celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023.
A decade ago, a single oak tree marked the start of a significant environmental project in Bere Regis, Dorset. Initiated by Brian May's Save Me charity, the vision was to convert 157 acres of agricultural land into a new woodland and wildlife sanctuary. The first community planting day occurred on September 28, 2013, with the ambitious goal of planting over 100,000 trees and shrubs.
By 2023, the project had achieved remarkable success, with over 101,000 trees and shrubs planted. May's Wood now features a diverse landscape including woodland, wildflower areas, and open rides, supporting a growing array of insects, birds, and small mammals. This transformation has created a rich habitat, with plants like bladder campion and knapweed flourishing, benefiting pollinators.
Photographer Linda Lamon meticulously documented the woodland's evolution over ten years, capturing its growth from saplings to a more established environment. An exhibition in Bere Regis in September and October 2023 highlighted this visual journey, celebrating the site's remarkable metamorphosis from farmland to a flourishing natural space.
