Four GoodGymers found tending the Tiny Forest in Ladywell Fields to be a sunnily satisfying way of spending the first day of the long Easter weekend. It was delicate work because the 600 native saplings, planted only four months ago, are still truly tiny. Long-rooted weeds were coaxed out of the soil so they can't grow tall and rob the saplings of the sunlight and nutrients they need for their springtime growth spurt. Other weeds simply had their leaves and stems removed - these were the ones too close to a sapling to be dug up without risk of disturbing the young tree's fragile roots - and Caroline, the coordinator of the community "Tree Keepers", explained that when this beheading is done repeatedly, the weed will eventually die.

Once we'd won the battle with most of the weeds, we wheelbarrowed wood chip into place to prevent them reappearing and to help keep the ground damp. A few other important jobs were also completed... we helped with mending a broken section of the fence protecting the Tiny Forest while it gets established, and measuring a plot where new fencing will be needed once plans to extend the planted area are put into action.