Replanting the Holt - 2006.
From the Notts Wildlife Trust Press Release 21 March 2006
Work to restore an internationally renowned collection of willow trees in Nottinghamshire has reached an exciting stage with the planting of hundreds of tree willows and basket willows at a special arboretum at the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's Farndon Willow Holt Nature Reserve.
The first batch of trees were planted on Thursday 2nd February and further planting days then held in conjunction with the Farndon Residents Environmental Group (Feb 4th) and children from the Farndon Wildlife Watch Group (Feb 11th).
The planting is the culmination of years of hard work by staff, volunteers and local plant experts who have pulled together to safeguard the future of this unique collection. It also comes as something of a relief for everyone involved following major delays caused by the Foot and Mouth crisis and heavy flooding in previous winters.
History of the Holt
Over the past ten years the Wildlife Trust and its partners have been working to restore a unique collection of willows built up by the former owners of the willow holt, off Wyke Lane, Farndon.
Mr and Mrs Howitt were highly regarded botanists who produced the last complete Flora record for the County, A Flora of Nottinghamshire, published in 1963.
The willow holt at Farndon once supplied willow stems for the commercial basket industry and many of the species that grow here such as almond willow (Salix triandra), various hybrids of osier (Salix viminalis) and purple willow (Salix purpurea) are particularly suited to basket making. 
Sadly after the second World War the introduction of new materials and manufacturing processes led to a decline in these industries and many holts fell into disrepair, with many disappearing forever.
After purchasing the site the Howitts spent decades restoring it and developing a unique collection of willows including examples of those used in crafts and cricket bat manufacture as well as many rare and unusual species and hybrids.
In the later years of Mr Howitt's life the site unfortunately fell into disrepair and on his death in 1984 he left it to the National Trust. Two years later the site was purchased by the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to be managed as a nature reserve.
Mr Howitt's library and herbarium were given to Cambridge University and some daybooks and diaries were saved from destruction currently housed at Nottinghamshire Natural History Museum. These are still used today to ascertain when and where plant species were first recorded in the county.
Restoring the Collection
In the late 1990s cuttings from the different species were propagated by staff and students from the Brackenhurst Campus of Nottingham Trent University. These were planted within the college grounds to create a "mirror" collection to help safeguard its genetic makeup and to act as a source of new cuttings for the holt.
Over the last two years restoration of the former working holt has progressed well, including the use of cuttings from Brackenhurst.
Now, thanks to funding of £11,000 provided by WREN via Gift Aid for clearance work and the provision of new interpretation for the site, the planting of a new formal arboretum can now be completed.
This new area will enable more in depth study of the willow varieties and visitors will be able to see around 40 different species of willow growing side by side.
Speaking about the project, Wildlife Trust Reserves Officer John Black commented:
"This project has taken many years to come to fruition and its success is a testament to the determination of all those who wanted to ensure that this site and its collection were conserved for future generations to enjoy. Whilst all the delays were very worrying at the time it does seem rather fitting that we are planting out the arboretum in 2006 which is the 20th anniversary of the site becoming a nature reserve."
A full species list of the planting programme.