Crack Willow.

There are several types of willow growing in the Marshian landscape.

I’ve spent far too long identifying them. They’re actually a fascinating group of trees.

They’re really really good for wildlife.

They’re super easy to grow, and they grow fast.

They store huge amounts of carbon

They are the tree that would have dominated the area before farming.

They’re coming back too, all on their own.

They are great food for Beavers. And if we want Beavers we’re going to need more willow.

But we don’t want willow everywhere.

When my kids were small we spent a few Saturday mornings planting willow twigs on a bit of river bank with a blot of a building next to it. Now the building is screened

There’s a few vistas in the Marshian landscape that could do with hiding.

Growing along the path by the marsh is a Crack willow. If you hold a small branch and push it snaps off. If it doesn’t it’s not a crack willow. For a long time I’ve been pushing these twigs into the ground.

The trees don’t live long. They crack. And the cracks can be space for wildlife.

I once wrote about a beautiful willow right by our marsh. I’d had a long history with it. Before the article was published someone set fire to it. I actually had time to edit the article after the fire. The poor thing lived on for a while but eventually died. Its rotting hulk is still there but covered in vegetation as it slowly melts into the soil. I felt as though I’d cursed it.

So I’m going to plant more this spring. Now the cows are gone they won’t get eaten. I can think of a couple of places where thousands could grow, screening the Parcelforce depot, Big Yellow Storage, and the road.

They’d improve the view, dampen the noise, filter the air, lock up some carbon and ……

…..Feed Beavers

And if we planted those willows near the ditches that could be dammed the beavers would eat them and do the job for us.

So the marshes wouldn’t dry out in summer.