Introduction
Poor vegetation performance and land degradation is a widespread problem on the reclaimed surface coalmine lands of South Wales. The 'Cradle for Nature' project is an NGO research venture that aims to determine how to achieve geoecological self-sustainability on degraded surface mine sites where the obstacles to revegetation success include extreme auto-compaction and low nutrient status of the mine-spoils.
This project’s experimental sites are located on degraded opencast coal-land at Varteg in Torfaen, Wales. This land was officially 'reclaimed' after surface coalmining in 1963. The project’s aims are to establish a self-reinforcing spiral of habitat improvement in the ecology and the soil. In addition to soil testing, the project features formally established 10 and 20-year forestation trials designed to assess the effect of three alternative approaches to tree planting, as well as an array of different fertilisation treatments, on tree survival and growth in mixed plantings. These trials focus on two key species that are commonly used in land reclamation contexts: Alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn), which is used as a nursemaid species, and Welsh or Durmast Oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl).
Over the past 20 years volunteers, led by Professor Martin Haigh at Oxford Brookes University, have planted thousands of trees. Many of these same people go back each year to measure them, check on how they're growing and see how the landscape is developing.
Health Warning
The Diary and Trees sections of this website are still under construction. They are not complete, many are simply notes and they may contain errors.