Forterra’s ‘Jubilee Wood’ grows with 1,350 new trees planted for National Tree Week

Students from Kneesall Primary’s ECO group and local councillor Tim Wildgust helped with the tree planting.

As part of the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) earlier this year, Jubilee Wood was established with 150 trees planted on agricultural land owned by Forterra close to its Kirton brickworks.

Liz Sharkey from Sharkey Forestry was there to oversee the planting of a further 1,350 trees, consisting of hazel, rowan, oak, hawthorn, blackthorn, cherry and silver birch, which will eventually grow into a natural, biodiverse woodland.

The ecological benefits of the woodland will be significant in a number of ways. Tree planting is a simple but highly effective way to reduce air pollution, at the same time creating havens for wildlife and improving the respiratory health of the people living nearby.

Forterra has commissioned Greenfields Countryside Ltd, a countryside management company, to prepare and carry out maintenance upon the land between each planting. This will ensure the trees are well cared for and given the best opportunity to grow as quickly and healthily as possible.

Andrea Hodgkinson, Headteacher of Kneesall Primary, said: “Our ECO group had a great time helping Forterra plant the new trees. We try to introduce them to a wide range of sustainable activities from recycling to clothing swap, and this was a fantastic opportunity for the group to be out in nature and participate in a hands-on project.”

Councillor Wildgust added, “The woodland is a brilliant project, it’s great when companies contribute to the local community in such ways. I look forward to being able to walk my dog among the trees!”

Stephen Harrison, Chief Executive of Forterra, said: “It’s fantastic to see our Jubilee Wood grow. Thank you to Councillor Wildgust and the ECO group from Kneesall Primary for helping out, they did a great job.

“We are always looking for ways to help the environment and operate more sustainably, so the woodland is a massively important project to us. We were delighted that adding to our woodland area could be part of National Tree Week and are looking forward to seeing the site at Kirton grow into a biodiverse woodland area over the next few years.”

National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration. Each year, the country’s conservation sector, volunteer groups and tree-lovers come together to plant thousands of trees to mark the start of the annual tree planting season.

To find out more about National Tree Week visit: https://treecouncil.org.uk/seasonal-campaigns/national-tree-week/.