Three Isle of Wight parks are benefitting from trees planted by volunteers as part of a collaboration between local organisation Planet Aware and the Isle of Wight Council.
Young people from Network Ryde, 1st East Cowes Scouts, 4th Shanklin Brownies and St Blasius Primary School, as well as adult volunteers helped to plant over 400 hundred native trees donated by the Woodland Trust in Puckpool Park and Appley Park in Ryde, and at Big Mead in Shanklin.
The planting is part of Planet Aware’s Trees for Seas project.
Marshall: Young people can make a positive difference
Sarah Marshall from Planet Aware said,
“We have really enjoyed our time planting these trees with such hardworking enthusiastic, young people.
“We want young people to feel they can make a positive difference despite the challenges we are facing and positive actions in our daily lives are important.
“The experience of planting their own trees, helping with tree aftercare and getting engaged with the follow-up discussions will raise awareness of the challenges that climate change creates for our oceans and the role of natural carbon sinks such as trees, in helping combat this.
“It has been great to collaborate with the Isle of Wight Council to find suitable places for planting.
“I know that all the volunteers, as well as me, have learnt a lot about trees from Tony Gillingham, the council’s tree officer who worked with us.”
Planet Aware’s “enthusiasm for positive change is infectious”
Tony said that he was excited to hear of Planet Aware’s Trees for Seas project,
“Planet Aware has carried out other successful environmental projects and their enthusiasm for positive change is infectious.
“This made them a good partner to collaborate with in the Isle of Wight Council’s aspirations to increase tree cover across the Island.
“We hope that involving local communities from the outset will foster a sense of ownership and pride amongst a wider group of people.
“We know that the Island’s open spaces are of real importance, and projects in these areas should be guided in part by the people who use them.
“The young people involved in these projects are the future guardians of our environment.
“We have a responsibility to offer them the chance to take positive action in their own area, and to help combat the climate emergency.”
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
