A MAJOR environmental project in Chagford to restore 120-acre estate to a traditional Dartmoor hay meadow and encourage ecological diversity and wildlife habitats has had a helping hand from Chagford Primary School pupils.
The children, many of whom are in the school?s garden club, helped to plant 200 trees on the estate and were assisted by Dartmoor National Park Authority?s education officer.
The planting of mixed native broadleaf trees at Yellam Estates was carried out in conjunction with the national park authority and the Forestry Commission in a bid to enhance the overall landscape of this important area.
Estate manager Adrian Phillips said he hoped the children would be back in the spring to see how things were progressing.
?We took over this 120 acre farm in June and basically want to create an opportunity for animal life and diverse trees,? he said.
?We are being advised by ?Action for Wildlife? and are looking for the whole estate to be taken back to an original hay meadow which is what it used to be before it was intensively farmed,? said Mr Phillips.
?We also want to promote hedge laying and dry stone walling and bring back these dying skills.?
The farmhouse and cottage on the estate will be let to people who are interested in the environment and want to learn traditional skills.