Cheviot Trees are specialist growers of native Heather plants for heathland restoration
We produce large volumes of native Heather plants for supply on demand for heathland restoration and we are also able to offer a contract grow service for projects with exacting specifications.
Our cell grown plants are similar to a jumbo plug plant or a small container and offer many benefits including:-
Enchanced survival rates as the plants are supplied with complete, intact root systems - very important in hostile locations.
Flexible planting windows as the plants can be planted outwith the normal planting season — useful in remote locations if weather causes delays to planting programmes.
There are many Heathland restoration techniques available to land managers but the planting of new stock has been proven to offer a cost effective solution. The suggested planting density on clear ground is 10 plants per m² but a lesser number will suffice where a patchy regeneration has already taken place.
GOLF COURSES IN FRONT LINE DEFENCE OF HEATHLAND HERITAGE
Following a recent survey, the Sports Turf Research Institure (STRI) estimates that of our 2,800 UK and Irish golf clubs, 440 are heathland courses, and approx 140 of these are situated in the vulnerable south. With an average heather coverage of six point two hectares per course, these southern golf clubs would appear to be responsible for an approximate 868 hectares of heather between them. Although a small percentage of our total national resource, Cheviot Trees are keen to point out that considering the rate of the apparent plant’s decline, the fact that a golf course is a stable land use, will render the heather on these areas increasingly more important as time goes by.
Interestingly, 80% of the golf clubs included in the survey wanted to extend and increase their heather coverage, although only 55% believed that the plant was declining. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that 63% believed heather to be important to the playing character of the course and 75% believed heather enhanced member’s enjoyment of the game.
The pressures on golf courses of golfers trampling over the plant, which is a slow grower and takes years to establish is apparent. This is why the introduction of heather on golf courses needs to be managed properly with designated no go areas introduced for set periods of time to allow the heather to grow and establish as rough before cutting could take place as then if cut low enough heather can make a valuable addition to the course being used instead of grass as rough with the added advantage over grass of flowering during the summer months.