The Butler Memorial Trust
registered charity no. 1076810
Fevin Nature Reserve Burial Ground
Tree Planting
There are areas of established copse within the site and the trust has planted other areas of native trees over several years. Planting is carried out in specific areas within the site and not on the graves. An area has also been left to regenerate naturally and, already, several oak saplings along with more shrubby trees are establishing themselves without our help. Tree planting is a seen as a good thing for wildlife and for carbon capture. At the same time, we are aware the one of the country's most depleted natural habitats is that of wildflower meadow. More than 90% of the our wildflower meadows have been lost. At the Fevin nature Reserve we have an abundance of wildflowers and, consequently, pollinating insects and other wildlife. We don't, therefore, plan to cover the site with trees entirely.
We are currently planting a small orchard of local variety cider apple trees. Orchards were once a widespread and ecologically important feature of the Somerset landscape. A huge proportion have been grubbed up. Our contribution to restoring this habitat will be small but every little helps. We plan to plant half a dozen trees a year. You can add a tree to our orchard or, if this doesn't appeal, discuss other tree planting options with the trust.
Ann Burnett and Sue an Allan Hambling plant the first trees in the cider orchard in memory of the ones they loved.
Sixty Trees for Sixty Years
On a very soggy day in November 2012 members of Somerton and Pitney Lortie WIs and BMT trustees met at the site to plant 60 saplings to mark the 60th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 2nd.
On 2nd June the following year - the day of the Jubilee, members met again in very different conditions to picnic beside the new copse and to raise a glass to her majesty.
