The Mineral Valleys Project and Tree For All
County Durham is famous for its mining heritage but, as the industry has declined, landscapes have been left with the scars of coal extraction.
Durham County Council has restored most of the pits into grassland and woodland. With Tree For All as one of its partners, the Mineral Valleys Project (MVP) will turn this into an opportunity to further enhance people lives and encourage wildlife back.
In the western part of the Durham Coalfield most affected by mineral exploitation, local communities have the chance to get involved in creating new, accessible places for nature to thrive, thanks to the MVP.
Under the joint banners of Woodlands and Wildlife and Tree For All, the MVP is working with the Woodland Trust to create new woodland by working with local school children. By the end of the 2004/2005 planting season, 420 children had planted trees in their local area as part of this project.
In the 2005/2006 planting season, this number is expected to double as a new wood is created in the coalfield area at Willington. As well as planting trees, the children will be involved in designing a sculpture for the site and will help design the tree labels and an information board.
More information
Tree For All events in northern England
Mineral Valleys Project website
