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The County Wildlife site Berryman’s Marsh on the Dartington Estate has been given a creative lift by famed willow sculptor Serena de la Hey – who has created a beautiful bespoke archway along the boardwalk, to inspire nature spotters and conservation experts, as they admire the many different species of wildlife.
Serena de la Hey, who is also known for her 40 foot ‘Willow Man’ situated on the M5 near Bridgwater, was commissioned by Dartington to create the willow arch, as part of the charity’s strategy to merge creative practice with sustainable land use. The sculpture is made from willow, woven on a metal frame to create a walk through spiralling ribbon. Live willow has then been planted by the artist at the base of the arch and over time will grow around the whole structure to create a part living and ever changing sculpture, which will be viewed by thousands of passing visitors every year.
Serena said, ‘I wanted to create a piece of work that was equally functional as well as sculptural in its own right. The project took several months to evolve and the resulting spiralling willow ribbon, though deceptively simple, is fascinating because it appears to change when you approach it from different angles. The willow sits beautifully within the environment and provides a natural framework to view the wetlands beyond.’
The sculpture and boardwalk are located at the bottom of the Dartington Hall driveway, situated on the floodplain of the Bidwell Brook and River Dart, and its creation has been part of a year long public project by Dartington and funders to bring attention to this previously overlooked wildlife paradise.
Tom Stevens, Dartington’s Conservation Manager said, “The new boardwalk has enabled us to provide a safe viewing platform for the public, so they can get a feel for this beautiful wetland site, without causing disturbance. The wildlife on site includes dragon and damsel flies, roe deer, ducks and nesting swans. Otters are also a common visitor, as Dartington has constructed an otter holt on the banks of the Dart to encourage these animals to stay in the area.”
The construction of the boardwalk and archway has been kindly funded by Viridor Credits through ‘The Landfill Communities Fund’ distributed by Ugbrooke Environmental Limited, and by funding from Lloyds TSB.
The general public are invited to come and visit the new sculpture and Berryman’s Marsh all year round, where they will be able to see all of the plants, invertebrates, birds and mammals – but only if they’re very quiet.
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The Dartington Hall Trust is a registered charity no. 279756. Company no. 1485560. Registered Office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL United Kingdom. Telephone 01803 847000; Fax 01803 847007;