Red Squirrels connecting with nature
Children from the Red Squirrel nursery will be going nuts in Backmuir Wood this afternoon as they join the Woodland Trust Scotland planting trees, creating a haven for the local red squirrel population.
Backmuir Wood is home to a healthy population of red squirrels which make their homes in the dense areas of Scots pine and Norway spruce in the woodland. Through its management programme the Trust is keen to support and protect the red squirrels home.
The event is part of the Woodland Trust’s Tree for All campaign; the biggest ever children’s tree planting operation; which aims to involve 1 million children in planting 12 million trees across the UK – the equivalent of one tree for every child under the age of sixteen. Jill Aitken woodland officer said “We want to encourage children to be able to experience nature first hand and to grow up with a love of nature. The children are already regular visitors to the wood and hopefully events such as this will leave a lasting impression in their mind encouraging them to become our woodland guardians of the future.”
Jane Logie from Red Squirrel Nursery said, “The ethos of our nursery is to develop children’s love and appreciation of nature, children explore and learn about the world they live in through eco and nature activities. One of our many environmental projects is supporting the work of The Red Squirrel programme and our children are involved in logging evidence of Red Squirrels in the area. Planting trees in Backmuir woods is another activity which supports our nature programme and helps the local area.”
One of the Red Squirrel pupils, Mitchell age 2 ½ is looking forward his afternoon of tree planting, he said “We need to plant lots of trees to give the red squirrels somewhere to play.”
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Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact: Jacqui Morris on 01355 578777 or mobile 07979 706675 or The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail media@woodland-trust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres).
In 1984, the Trust acquired its first wood in Scotland. Today the Trust owns 80 sites across Scotland covering 8,100 hectares. Further news can be accessed via www.woodland-trust.org.uk
