In County Durham, students from both primary and secondary schools enthusiastically donned their wellies and grasped their spades, determined to combat climate change.
During this planting season, over 2,600 children and young individuals, hailing from various schools united to plant a remarkable total of 3,224 trees. This notable initiative took place under the umbrella of Durham County Council’s Trees for Children project and its comprehensive climate emergency program.
Deliberately chosen for their adaptability to the local environment, these trees consist entirely of native species like oak, birch, and willow. As an integral part of the program, the participating children acquired valuable knowledge about the significance of trees in nurturing wildlife habitats. They also learned how to discern and distinguish between different tree species based on the appearance of their seeds and leaves, thereby enhancing their environmental awareness.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said:
“It has been a fantastic year for our Trees for Children project with a whopping 3,224 trees planted across the county.
“Since the project began, children from 45 schools have planted 5,400 trees and helped to create new woodland on almost 45 hectares of land.
“This has played a major role in our woodland creation programme which is a key part of our efforts to combat climate change.”
The majority of the planting has been done on public land and the council is working with the North East Community Forest to engage with private landowners to secure further planting sites.
