Exeter City Council Archives - Jenny steer photographer

Documentary nature tree Artist photographer photojournalist, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall, Somerset, Exeter, UK, abroad

What an absolute delight to photograph this next stage of the FLOW with the tree planting in Exwick on Saturday and Trews Weir on Sunday. Artist in Residence Anne-Marie Culhane organised a fab couple of days with Simon Bates – Exeter + East Devon Green Infrastructure and Mary-Rose Lane – Environment Agency. Over 130 people turned up to plant trees!!

The trees are a mix of fruit, nut and foraging trees for insects, animals and humans to encourage movement and FLOW through the Riverside Valley Park. There are just under 200 trees to be planted in 2018 which include local and heritage varieties + more unusual such as apricot, almond, loquat to adapt for a changing climate. The idea is that anyone can pick them and that you take a fair share and leave some for other people and wildlife. The route also compliments new wildflower planting that is happening in the river valley park to encourage a B-line for pollinators as part of Exeter Wild City Project and the flood defence scheme landscaping.

Anne-Marie collaborated with Emma Welton, a composer from Exwick to create the Exeter Wassail for 2018 with new lyrics for FLOW

Artist, Amy Sheldon facilitated lantern making. Devon Wildlife Trust showed people how to make bird feeders. We had an amazing storyteller, Heather Jane who told a beautiful story related to local trees and wassailing. Heather had heard the Robin call to her when she created the story. Traditionally, the Robin is the guardian of the orchard and thats why toast is usually hung in the tree as an offering to the Robin. For this wassail however, they pinned the toast on Joe’s coat and hat.

So, it was amazing when I arrived to photograph at Trews Weir and the first thing I heard was the entrancing song of the little Robin as he perched so close to us and surveyed our tree planting, darting all around us! On the bird theme, I loved that as we started the walk to wassail at Trews Weir a flock of Gulls flew over us in a FLOW down to the estuary to roost! (See the pic.)

Here are some photos of the two days.

What a suburb day it was for “Testing The Water” at Exeter Quay – Exeter City Council has appointed consultants Exterior Architecture to produce a master plan for the Riverside & Ludwell Valley Parks. The need for this plan is driven largely by housing growth. The resulting increase in population has an indirect impact on the Exe Estuary, which is a protected European wildlife site.

One of the elements of the mitigation strategy is the enhancement of alternative natural greenspace, and the Council has identified these two Parks for this purpose. We need to make the Parks more attractive for people, particularly those walking the dog, thus taking pressure off the estuary and its wild bird populations.

Simon Bates from ECC organised the day with Suzanne Heath, Project manager of Ginkgo. We kicked off with a short speech outside tent by Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Lesley Robson. Passersby came along and put their mark on the on the map ‘Planning for Real’ – where they’d like to see certain activities or changes.

Great activities included Magical moths and looking at crickets and a bug hunt with John Walters as well as drawing and painting. Children made seed bombs with Spacex and we had a couple of fab bike forages with Anne-Marie Culhane.

There was a chance to have a go on the Apple press and there was also ‘Bike smoothies’ with wild autumn fruits. Fruit & veg stall – delicious, fresh produce from the allotment growers next door – an honesty stall and Alexei from The Hall Exeter organised the Pecha Kucha talks in the marquee which were fabulous!

Jenny steer photographer

Category: Exeter City Council

Flow Orchard planting | Exwick | Trews Weir

Testing The Water | at Exeter Quay