First tree grown at the Bowlees nursery planted

1 February 2024

The first tree grown in a nursery to support native species has been planted in the North Pennines National Landscape as part of a  landscape-scale nature recovery programme.

In partnership with farmers and landowners, the teams from the North Pennines National Landscape and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority have been working together to connect the important landscapes of Teesdale and Swaledale in a unique collaborative
programme. Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected marked an important milestone yesterday with the first ever tree, grown from seed in a wildflower and tree nursery in the North Pennines, being planted by volunteer Mark Windle, who helped collect the seed in 2022.

The £8.5 million Tees-Swale programme is largely funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and working across an area of 845 km2  of the largest semi-natural habitats in England.

The North Pennines National Landscape team created the tree and wildflower nursery at Bowlees Visitor Centre to grow native species, which would then be used to deliver some of the nature recovery and conservation work in the area. Native trees and plants play a very important part in this project which aims to create bigger, better, and more joined up habitats. Through the Tees-Swale programme, the partners are working to help reverse the decline in biodiversity, through habitat management and restoration projects, including  woodland and scrub creation. Planting new native woodland, hedgerows and scrub, enhancing areas of degraded woodland, and introducing native woodland planting into areas of conifer plantation will help to increase the connectivity between existing fragmented woodland areas. The Tees-Swale programme has already created and enhanced over 50 hectares of native woodland across Teesdale and Swaledale.

Native woods and trees are one of the best ways to tackle the climate crisis. Woodland ecosystems, including the living trees, roots and leaves, the soil, vegetation and dead wood, store carbon. They also reduce air pollution, prevent flooding, protect soils from erosion and
maintain nutrients in the soil, and reduce urban temperatures. Trees and woods play a vital role in reducing flooding with the tree canopy slowing rainfall reaching the ground, the roots helping water penetrate deeper into the soil, and slowing run-off from farmland. UK woodland stores 213 million tonnes of carbon in living trees but our woodland cover is only 13%. The Committee on Climate Change has recommended an increase in woodland cover to 19% if the UK is to reach its carbon neutral target by 2050.

The Bowlees tree and wildflower nursery was established to allow the team to grow native wildflowers and trees as close to where their seeds are collected as possible. The plants planted and grown at the nursery, with the help of local volunteers, will help the team create woodland and restore upland hay meadows and species-rich grassland for nature recovery across farms in Teesdale.

One of the native trees growing at the nursery is Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra), now one of the more common elm species in the UK. Wych elm occurs throughout much of Europe and is the only strictly native elm species in the UK. Trees can grow to 30 metres in height with smooth grey bark which becomes grey-brown and fissured after 20 years. The twigs are dark grey and covered in coarse hairs, and the purple-black leaf buds are hairy. The name ‘wych’ means ‘pliant’ or ‘supple’ in old English, relating to the tree’s use as a wood for making Welsh bows.

As a result of Dutch elm disease, Wych elm is now rare and its loss is linked to the decline of the white-letter hairstreak butterfly, whose caterpillars rely on elm leaves. Hardier than the English elm, Wych elm is found much further north and west, and is suited to the North Pennines climate. Mature trees can be found in hilly and rocky woods, often alongside streams and in upland areas, and are present around Bowlees.

Wych elm is one of the few elms to spread mainly by seed. The team, assisted by volunteers, collected seed from Bowlees to plant at the nursery. Wych elm is the first tree ready to plant from the nursery because it germinates quickly and without needing a winter to stratify. The trees that are ready have had two summers to grow and were planted out on Wednesday 31 January at Park End Farm by Mark Windle. Mark has volunteered with the North Pennines National Landscape team for a few years and has helped the Tees-Swale project collect tree seed as well as planting hedges and trees at various locations in Teesdale.

Park End is farmed by Peter Raine, a tenant of Strathmore Estate. Peter has worked with the North Pennines National Landscape team for a number of years, and has had several meadows restored and enhanced as well as acting as a green hay donor. The tree planting site, alongside the River Tees, is a mosaic of rough grassland, trees and scrub, and more species-rich grassland areas. With funding from the Tees-Swale programme, an old fence line has been replaced to allow improved management of the species-rich grassland section. The tree planting is focussed at either end of this area, away from any diverse grassland. The aim is to plant a mixture of tree and scrub species with approximately 80-90 whips. This will extend the wooded area, improve the structural diversity by adding more understorey, and improve the age structure as there is currently little regeneration due to pressure from rabbits and, possibly, deer.

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “This is a wonderful moment for the Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected project that, thanks to National Lottery players, is doing amazing work to boost biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and connect people to nature. It’s exciting to know that this is just the beginning for trees grown at Bowlees – we look forward to seeing more being planted across the North Pennines in the coming months and years, helping to preserve our natural heritage and create a more nature-rich landscape.”

Notes for editors

Images of Wych elm trees and seeds, seed collecting, seed planting, plants growing at the nursery, and planting of the first tree from the nursery ©North Pennines National Landscape.

For more information, please contact the communications team at the North Pennines National Landscape- by email or call 01388 528801.

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for, and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033.

Over the next ten years, we aim to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits foe people, places, and the natural environment.

We help protect, transform, and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.

We are passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.

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The North Pennines is one of England’s most special places – a peaceful, unspoilt landscape with a rich history and vibrant natural beauty. It was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1988. The purpose of this nationally recognised designation is the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty of the area. The AONBs were renamed National Landscapes in November 2023.

At almost 2,000 sq. kilometres the North Pennines is the second largest of the 46 National Landscapes (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and is one of the most peaceful and unspoilt places in England. Visit www.landscapesforlife.org.uk for information about the National Landscape family.

The North Pennines lies between the National Parks of the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales, and Northumberland with the urban centres of County Durham away to the east. Parts of the National Landscape are within the boundaries of five local authorities; the three counties of Cumbria, Durham and Northumberland, Cumberland Council, and Westmorland and Furness Council.

The North Pennines National Landscape is an alliance of 24 public, statutory and voluntary sector bodies with an interest in the future of the North Pennines National Landscape. The work of the National Landscape is carried out by its staff unit which takes action to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area, to raise awareness of its special qualities and to improve the quality of life for local people.

 UNESCO Global Geopark  As well as being a National Landscape, the North Pennines is a UNESCO Global Geopark. This puts the area’s Geopark status in the same UNESCO family as World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves. UNESCO Global Geoparks are places with outstanding geology where special effort is made to make the most of geological heritage to support community and economy. Locally this includes producing geo-trails, developing projects with school and community groups, producing displays for visitor attractions, and holding geology festivals and events.

The North Pennines National Landscape and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority are working with partner organisations to deliver Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected, a major natural heritage programme that focuses on the landscape and communities of Upper Teesdale and Swaledale, covering 829 square kilometres of Teesdale in the North Pennines National Landscape and Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Inspired by the report ‘Making Space for Nature’, the programme aims to restore, expand and connect habitats across the uplands of Teesdale and Swaledale, showcasing how public funds can enhance wildlife and deliver multiple public benefits. The ethos of the programme is to work closely and in partnership with farmers, landowners and conservation agencies from the outset. In so doing, we will build the relationships and establish the skills required to sustain our High Nature Value farming systems.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is one of 15 National Parks in the UK. It is administered by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, which has two main purposes: “to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage” and “to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the National Park”. In carrying out these purposes, the Authority has a duty “to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities”. The National Park Authority comprises 25 members, made up of county and district councillors and members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment to represent parishes or in recognition of their specialist skills or knowledge. All work is guided by the vision for the future of the National Park set out in the Yorkshire Dales National Park Management Plan: “Through their passion for this special place, local people and businesses will keep the Yorkshire Dales National Park a thriving area. Its unique cultural landscape will be treasured for its stunning scenery, exceptional heritage and wonderful wildlife, and every year millions of people will be inspired to be a part of it.”