Exeter City Football Club is delighted to have planted more than 100 trees at Cliff Hill Training Ground earlier this month, thanks to Devon Wildlife Trust’s Free Trees scheme and the continued hard work of the club’s grounds team.
The saplings have been planted along the perimeter between the training ground and the busy A3052, where they will serve several important purposes. As they mature, the trees will create an enhanced natural barrier between the pitches and the road, helping to create a more private, quieter and pleasant training environment for players, staff and visitors alike.
The planting also future proofs the existing hedgerow. Several dead and diseased trees were removed for the safety of road users and users of Cliff Hill, with the new saplings set to replace them over time. Most of the trees, however, have been used to strengthen the existing hedgerow and fill gaps where coverage was previously limited.
Beyond the immediate benefits to the training ground, the new trees will bring lasting environmental benefits for the local area. Strengthening the existing hedgerow will create a richer, more connected habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife. These trees will also play a role in improving air quality, managing heavy rainfall and storing carbon over time as they grow.
This biodiversity initiative also supports Exeter City’s ambition to retain and build upon its Silver status within the EFL Green Clubs certification. Crucially, the project was delivered at no cost to the club and ECFC is extremely grateful to Devon Wildlife Trust for offering such a valuable scheme. Organisations interested in securing trees for the next planting season are encouraged to visit the Devon Wildlife Trust website to get in touch with their team.
Devon Wildlife Trust is a fantastic local charity that relies on donations and memberships to continue its important work. One recent example was the reintroduction of pine martens, a native woodland mammal absent from Devon for over a century, to Exmoor and Dartmoor National Parks last year as part of a landmark nature recovery project. Supporters who are interested in joining the Devon Wildlife Trust can find out more via their website.
Links: