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Tree For All in The National Forest

Kids planting a tree

In its third year, Tree For All in The National Forest has once again proved to be a great success. In total over 1,000 children, aged from 6 to 11 years and from schools in the Forest as well as Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham and Loughborough, participated in this year’s programme.

This inspirational education project from the Woodland Trust is a fantastic opportunity for school children not only to plant trees, but also to explore and learn about the natural environment in a way that brings the school curriculum to life.

'The National Forest is a natural, living, healthy resource for everyone. It is important that as many people as possible have the opportunity to experience it at first-hand,' commented Sue Anderson, Community Liaison Officer, National Forest Company. 'The Forest is on the doorstep of several large cities and we have instigated this project to bring children here, particularly those who may not find it as easy as some to get here, to have fun in the Forest, and find out about aspects of the countryside.'

As one headteacher explained: ‘The children are very excited about their visit to the Forest. Living in the city their experience of grass and trees is mainly limited to football pitches and the lime trees that edge the city’s roads. I am hoping that this will inspire them and open their eyes to the world outside their brick and asphalt jungle.’

The children spent half the day in an interactive environmental education session either at Rosliston Forestry Centre or Snibston Discovery Park where enthusiastic education leaders and rangers taught them about how trees grow, the function of the leaves, what the fruit and bark of different trees look like and which animals live in and around trees.

For the remainder of the day the children wrapped up warm, donned their wellies and got their hands dirty planting trees at a local Woodland Trust or Forestry Commission site. Supported by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and the Forestry Commission, the children enjoyed working in pairs planting their young native trees and discovering lots of creepy crawlies along the way.

Amy Barton, teacher at Clifton Primary School in Birmingham said: ‘Coming from inner city Birmingham, the children were fascinated with the countryside and the plants and animals – it really ignited an enthusiasm.’
‘It is nice to know that the trees will be there for ever,’ (Lydia Cassidy, Year 3 Crich Carr C of E Primary School).

Schools can take part in Tree For All in The National Forest each winter when the tree planting activities really take off. If you’ve missed it so far, don’t worry, we hope to continue the campaign for a few more years.

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Gallery

  • Barton-Under-Needwood Village sign
  • Children singing in Calke Abbey
  • Sculptors Philip Eames and Trevor Cooper with their sculpture of a wooden horse and handler
  • A close up of the new Newborough gateway sculpture
  • The stone and metal Village Sculpture at Revenstone
  • One of six new bird totems installed at Thornton
  • The creation of living willow sculptures by children at Stanton School
  • Children playing in an indoor activity centre at Conkers
  • Kids planting a tree
  • Kids 'ponding'
  • Sweet Chestnut emerging from shell
  • Guests on a woodland break
  • Children helping The National Forest by plant trees
  • Children being nature detectives and listening and looking for wildlife
  • People walking past trail signs
  • Line of people walking along forest path
  • Runners completing race through The National Forest
  • Birthday Walk logo
  • John Moore (61) - Retired after a career with Severn Trent
  • acorn amongst leaves on the branch of a tree
  • Andrew Brown- Jackson working with BTCV expert volunteers to build a dry stone wall
  • Johnson Controls Gold Medal for international Corporation Achievement in Sustainable Development
  • BTCV volunteers on a BTCV conservation holiday
  • BTCV volunteers planting a new woodland at Tinknall

Places to visit

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