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LANDSCAPE
DESIGN FOR ABBEYFEALE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
From little acorns
grow.... PAIRC cois FEALE.
TREE SPECIES BY (botanical name)
FIELD NO 3. 'Century Feald' and riverside walk.
Tree Planting.
Management regime suitable for high quality ornamental trees.
Design for full effect of wind blow on site specific wet mineral soil.
Design for wildlife habitat creation especially Scots Pine, Larch and Broadleaves planted at 1 x 1m.
Design for heavy thinning in amenity areas and natural selection (no thinning) in woodland - understorey of coppice - for fence post production
Provide additional habitats for flora and fauna
Improve visual qualities of the landscape.
Increase and protect species diversity in the local vegetation, especially along the riverside.
Reduce local soil erosion and reduce risk of soil compaction.
Reduce sedimentation and run off to the river.
Add leaf mould and humus to the soil.
Shelter is much needed around the site.
Production of fencing posts, chippings for paths, screening, noise abatement and wildlife food habitat.
Improve visual amenity / educational interest.
Provide outdoor recreational opportunity via walks and nature appreciation.
The wind factors / soil will affect stability of trees. The remedy is to plant groups of robust trees and shrubs as a shelter and screen.
Receive guidance on environmental matters and Silva culture.
The carbon uptake of the proposed forests will be on average 12 - 15 tones of carbon annually.
The plantation by the year 2030 could be extracting 40 - 50 tones of carbon dioxide per year.
MOUNDING
Absolute care now needs to be taken in the preparation of all soil based planning features.
Trees planted in fields 1 & 2 & 3 will all require adequate open field drains and swales (shallow drains) across the slope. These swales will act as water storage to keep soils moist in periods of drought, particularly in the early years.
Many of the trees suggested in the design are water hungry trees aimed at drying out the site
and have foliage of a riverside character, to give the effect of an aquatic landscape.
Soil conservation in field 1 & 2 is essential especially in view of the numbers of people who may visit.
Design & Management for Conservation
Ponds and Marshes
Constructing a small marsh will not only increase the beauty and diversity of habitats in your wildlife area but observation of it's changing flora and fauna will provide a continual interest. It will also be a practical contribution to the conservation of freshwater plants and animals at a time when this habitat is fast disappearing. Because of safety considerations ponds are out of the question.
Construct Marsh and Frog ponds and Marsh - these wetlands are under threat in the wild.
Site the Marsh and Frog Ponds.
A low lying area close to the river has been chosen for shallow construction of safe, shallow ponds and marsh. Have Sandro Cafolla on site during construction. (Pond liners should not be necessary).
The marsh will back flood from the river in winter. Construct low dam to keep the water level constant.
A marsh needs sunlight to encourage plant growth, so an open site is best. Generally depth is more important than shape although a more natural effect is achieved by an irregular outline.
Ensure one part of your marsh is over one metre deep to prevent freezing over the winter and consider having a shallow end for marsh plants. The deep area should be protected from children by, for example, some barrier plants and gentle sloping sides. Gently sloping sides also make for the greatest variety within the marsh and are the easiest to construct if a flexible liner is used. Mark the outline of your marsh with pegs and string and start digging! Leave some stone free soil close at hand for infilling and
levelling. When the marsh is dug check the levels with planks and a spirit level. Check the banks are high enough to retain the required depth of water.
Encourage Birds
Make nest boxes and viewing platforms on to the sloping river banks. On this bank are the largest of all the trees on the site. It may be possible to encourage nesting birds such as Duck and Moorhen, Robin and Flycatcher. Standard nest boxes should also be erected. The school children can be asked to construct these and monitor them. A hide constructed of reed foliage and branches, with a water proof roof. This could be sited on the bank overlooking the river, river bend, field and marsh.
Stock the edges of marsh with following plants:
Marsh Marigold 30 potted
Water Mint 50
Water Plantain 50
Yellow flag 150
Bog Bean 30
Meadowsweet 200
Ragged Robin 250
Water Avens 50
Bulrush 30
Fleabane 30
Reed 150 potted 3 yr olds
Purple Loosestrife 150
Eutrophic water
For up to 3 years after construction ponds can become Eutrophic -(swamp like). Under no circumstances must any chemical be used to clean it. The water will clean itself.
Surface vegetation is removed by nets or straw bales are added, 1 per 300m2 area.
All drains to the marshes need twice yearly management.
Soil Erosion.
The critical design feature of the landscape proposal for the Park is to prevent erosion of the riverside, it's embankments and flora.
The soils of the Park and fields have a low carrying capacity for wear and tear and every effort should be made to keep visitor numbers from damaging the soils and their native flora.
The river Feale has excellent fishing grounds and in no way should soil erosion,
slip or run off, be carried into the river from any part of the Park.
The bend in the river, it's depth and direction all suggest future river bank erosion on an unstoppable route through either of the bends at the base of Field 1 & 2.
There is a potential to stop the erosion of said banks and local soil by their planting.
An access road down the west side of field two was in place prior to this design. As the road runs straight down the hill to the river, this design recommends that the drains be installed across it's width. The last drain running into a swale installed at its base to catch slowdown and stop any surface water run-off.
See mound drawing.
Pairc
cois Feale page 1 Starting point
of design
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Index -
Landscape design with wildflowers.
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