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Decoy Field | encouraging wildlife and nature

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Clive takes us on a short trip to Decoy Field allotment, and describes the corner that has been designed to encourage nature and wildlife.

Here’s a story about the rise of the Decoy Allotment Wildlife Garden.

Stephen thinks about containerized pond planting and puts down some ideas on paper.

Stephen meets some of the NADCAA Committee on site to discuss plans that he helped develop.
Stephen, Brian and volunteer Sid Cashin harvest willow from a joint project in with Tor2/SWISCO in Torbay. Stephen planted this willow originally as part of a design project that he was involved in.
Stephen and Brian meet with Christine Callard to discuss pond planting for wildlife.
Pond Construction…the plan starts become a reality. Tim Callard, Christine Callard and Mike Daniels from NADCAA  Committee put plants in place. Local stones were sourced for the pond edge. Willow is soaked to weave on site.
The original plan is reviewed on site.
Christine decided that such involved work deserves a cup of tea in her greenhouse!
Stephen sorts willow rods for weaving.

The Bug Hotel ‘ Newton Hilton’ Mike Daniels built this one out of reclaimed materials, ready for things to ‘move in.’

Planting added and starts to grow in very rapidly by the summer of the first year.

  • Separate Small Frog Breeding Pond.
  • A dragonfly visits.
A leaf Cutter Bee visits a special Bee Hotel placed on the side of the Bug Hotel.

Water lilies and other pond planting that Stephen planned soon flourish and look as if they have been growing on the site for years.

  • Seating is added and Christine scoups out algae that has grown.
  • A bird bath made out of an old log is placed in a quite area.
  • Nosey Neighbours on the plot opposite!
  • An Orange Tip Butterfly takes a sip of nectar from a periwinkle flower.
  • A Tiger Moth on the Buddleia.
  • A wonderful visitor early one morning in the Reptile Basking Area.
 An interpretive display board is put together to let visitors to the site find out more about it.
 Toby Buckland visiting the project from the BBC. He was really impressed and thought that it would really help the local wildlife on the field. He is pictured between Clive Burton (left) and Tim Callard (right), the Chairman from Newton Abbot and District Co-operative Allotment Association.

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