A WRITER has hit upon a ‘novel’ idea of saying thanks to his readers – by dedicating a tree to them in a forest he has planted at Synod Inn, near New Quay.

The forest of fruit and nut trees is being established to celebrate the launch of Woody Hayday’s debut novel, Canopy Harvest.

One tree will be named after every reader who bought the book before Friday, 7 April.

A metal tag bearing the reader’s name will then be attached to the tree as a permanent tribute.

“The forest is currently in a tree nursery I built on a piece of my dad’s land at Synod Inn,” Mr Hayday, a 30-year-old computer programmer from St Albans, told the Cambrian News.

“The trees will probably be split across two sites now, as my friend has acquired a rather large piece of land in Llandeilo, but first I’m going to plant a small food-forest at my dad’s to celebrate the launch.”

The first-time author hit on the idea after developing a fascination with ‘permaculture’, a type of farming that leaves sustainable food sources for future generations by mimicking natural ecosystems.

Mr Hayman’s ’s novel – described as “a sci-fi epic”, is set in a space station above a dying earth after climate change has ravaged the planet. Part of the story features a sustainable food forest in a spaceship on which his heroes make a daring escape.

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