Oak Grove's 1st Birthday

On the 4th of September 2005 it was the first birthday of Green Dragon’s Oak Grove Orchard Conservation Tree Nursery. But there was little time for celebration as the first two weeks of September were taken up with pushing on to finish the nursery beds in time for transplanting out our one year old seedlings this winter. Three more beds were constructed, two raised beds and one large terraced bed. The terrace was made by excavating the existing slope and building a half metre high dry stone wall across the entire width of the nursery. The excavated earth was then thrown up behind the wall and pathways made along its edges. Stone steps were also laid at the western end to form a path around the edge of the new wilderness area.

We are very lucky to have many frogs, toads, newts, slow worms, and lizards living within the nursery. They are of course the natural predators of many pests and so we have reserved an area exclusively for them. The new stone wall will also provide them with ideal habitat to hibernate in in the winter, and to bask on in the summer!

Community Info

To mark the nursery's first year, Green Dragon have commissioned a local craftsman to build a glass fronted, weather-proof information board at the entrance gate. This is to provide educational info about the project – it is mainly aimed at children and young people, but we hope all ages will find it of interest. It will include sections on what a conservation tree nursery is and why it is necessary, plus wider issues such as bio-diversity, global warming and Permaculture. It will also invite people to walk around the nursery to see the growing process and to find out more about planting trees

Green Dragon would like to extend its thanks to the local community for their enthusiastic support and help in the nursery over the last year. We have been given many trees, allowed access to private land to collect seeds, and have had invaluable help with the never ending chores of weeding and watering across the summer months.

Gathering The Autumn Harvest

As September draws to a close the nursery begins its new yearly cycle and enters one of its busiest times of the year – as the nuts and berries ripen we start to collect and prepare them for germination. Although a labour intensive job, walking the countryside and seed collecting is a wonderful way to spend a sunny autumn day – volunteers always appreciated!

Summer Tour

This summer we were very pleased to be invited to several green events. These included: Kingston Green (see Kingston news report), Guildford’s Ambient Green Picnic, The Big Green Gathering in the Mendips, The Brighton Community Fair and The Hastings Green Fair.

Volunteers took the mobile bookstall on tour and managed to raise enough money to finish the final phase of the Oak Grove Orchard Conservation Tree Nursery in Devon.

Many thanks to all the event organisers and staff who’s incredible efforts made the summer such a success, and who’s continuing support of Green Dragon has contributed greatly to the woodland project. Also - those champions of the cause who put so many hours into running the stalls, the internet shops and the tecky crew who maintain the website and Green Dragon HQ. And last - but by no means least - everyone who supports the project by passing on their unwanted books or by buying their books from us!

Turning Words Into Woods!

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Green Dragon is a volunteer project run as a not-for-profit organisation.
Office: Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XG