Dalby Community Woodland Scheme
                                                                He who plants a tree plants a hope. "  Lucy Larcom

Dalby Village Coronation Oaks :   
This is an initiative by Dalby Church working in conjunction with Dalby Community Woodland Scheme 

To Commemorate the Coronation of King Charles III, Lord of Mann, we have potted up 60 acorns representing the 60 households in Dalby village in 2023.
These acorns have now germinated and are available, with a special presentation Coronation Oak Certificate to any Dalby household to nurture and plant out. Those unable to plant their tree on their own land are welcome to plant their oaks as part of the Dalby Community Woodland Scheme, or on other land in Dalby ( with the permission of the landowner! )

 The young saplings will be available to collect on the morning of Sun July 2nd from 10 am – 12 noon at the schoolrooms, or after the Anniversary Concert that evening.
If you’d like to arrange to collect one at any other time & date please contact Cheryl : 843471  Or email: [email protected] 

What you will need to do :

• The saplings are currently in small pots and would now greatly appreciate being transplanted into a much larger container.
• Their roots should be well established but do handle with care, they are still very young. 
• After transplanting make sure they are well watered and leave outside in a sunny spot in a relatively sheltered area. If the pot is big enough they should be happy there for a couple of years, but in hot sunny spells make sure they don't dry out.
• NB> * If you don't have land to plant your two year old sapling please see the notes at the end of this item
• Once the saplings have  grown to 2 /3 ft  high transplant to their final growing position in the late Autumn/ early winter digging in good compost around them.  It's not recommended to plant them too close to buildings!
• To stop them being submerged in undergrowth it can be helpful to mark them with a stake.
• They shouldn't need a tree guard unless stock are grazing in the area. Oaks can often get eaten by moth larvae if put in a tree-guard when too small...... they are happiest if their branches are above the guard.
• Allow them to grow and enjoy the wildlife they will bring to your land.
• Allow them to grow and breath deeply knowing they are helping to absorb some of you CO2 emissions.
• Allow them to grow and when they are established you can coppice branches from them as part of your sustainable winter fuel for the future. 

* No Land of your own far enough away from a building ? 

• If you don't have land of your own, we are hoping to make links with those who do, who would be happy to have a few additional oak trees. Please contact us when your sapling is a couple of foot high and we hope to be able to put you in touch with a contact close by who would be happy to offer a forever home to your sapling.
• If you do have spare land, please get back to us if you'd like to help adopt an Oak tree from someone else. 
• Or you'd be very welcome to bring your sapling to the Dalby Woodland scheme and plant it in its final growing p-position in the valley.                                                                                                                                                                                 Why an Oak tree?  All trees improve air quality, they absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, their leaves absorb airborne pollutants, and their roots stabilize the soil.  But Oaks support more wildlife, birds and other life forms with food and protection than any other tree.

​"When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure."                                 Peter Marshall

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 The Dalby Community Woodland Scheme is a local  initiative working with DEFA to return an area of the Kerrowdhoo Plantation to a more natural mixed woodland, creating a greater diversity of flora and fauna, to include fruit bushes, wildflowers and flowering shrubs, for birds, bees and butterflies.
 
The vision is to enrich the local environment whilst creating a sustainable source of fuel for the community, creating a managed woodland with standards and coppiced understory.

The nearby stand of Norway Spruce is being felled in stages and is being replanted with a variety of native wood, including Birch, Oak, Alder, Hazel, Mountain Ash, Hawthorne, Horse Chestnut, Sweet Chestnut and Ash trees.  These have all been grown from seed in the small nursery behind the tholtan  (some of which have been gathered locally)  These are then transplanted and grown on for three consecutive years in the adjacent lining-out bed before being planted in their final position in the woodland.

This is voluntary not for profit initiative operating on a "wood for work"  basis. Felled trees are also logged on site and left to dry for a two year period before being donated to Dalby Community Hub and Dalby church and schoolrooms . The Community woodland also supply the  Hub Bunkhouse with logs and some timber lengths are sold locally to help generate enough income to cover the Insurance, and finance and equip the development of the project.

For any enquiries or further information please contact :
Brian Cousins : Tel 843471.