12 March 2007
Local kids get the chance to reconnect with nature
...while helping Woodland Trust to restore Wentwood Forest
Over 300 children from eleven (1) local schools got the chance to learn more about, and appreciate, the natural environment last week, while also helping the Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw) to restore Wentwood Forest. As well as taking part in a variety of environmental activities and games, the children planted acorns that, with luck, will grow into huge oaks that will eventually take the place of the conifers that currently dominate the Forest.
The visit was all part of Tree For All (2), the Woodland Trust’s ambitious children’s tree planting campaign, which aims to plant a tree for every child in the UK over a five year period, 12 million in total, and to involve one million children in doing this. The aim is to help a new generation of youngsters reconnect with the natural world and have fun improving their local environment.
Annie Thornton-Wood of Cambium Sustainable Landscapes which is working with the Woodland Trust to deliver the woodland visits said: “Surveys show that 98% of children are not engaging with the outdoors. We’ll be showing the children that there is something to do out there, and to use their own initiative. We’ll be doing a variety of activities, like matching up things of different colours they can see in the forest. The aim is to teach the children to see what they might not see, and appreciate what they might not appreciate.”
Before the visit, Marie Cooper of Llandogo Primary School said: “As a Forest School, this is another great opportunity for the children to understand the process of replenishing our local woodlands. The children are looking forward to their role in this regeneration activity.”
The Woodland Trust completed its acquisition of 352 hectares (870 acres) of Wentwood in January this year following a successful campaign to Save Wentwood Forest launched in June last year. The Woodland Trust has paid tribute to local people for their overwhelming support for the campaign. The local public appeal alone raised over £100,000, while at least 30,000 individual donations were received from across the UK and the world.
The Trust had to raise at least £1.5 million to secure the purchase of the site and start its restoration. This support includes contributions and grants from The Tubney Charitable Trust, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Hickinbotham Charitable Trust, the Oak Foundation, and a number of other charitable trusts.
Although Wentwood is Wales’ largest ancient woodland (3), most of it was planted with conifers during the last century, hugely threatening its rare ancient woodland wildlife. The Woodland Trust now aims to restore Wentwood, and although this is a huge task, this children’s event shows that the Trust is determined to involve the local community in the project.
Like almost all Woodland Trust woods, Wentwood Forest is open for the public to visit at any time, for free. The Woodland Trust has set up a special website for the site at: www.wentwoodforest.org.uk This includes a whole range of information about the site and the campaign to save it, including the Trust’s plans to restore the site, its history, how to get their, and a map.
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For media enquiries contact:
Rory Francis (Publicity and Public Affairs Officer for Wales) on 01766 832563 or 07760 171174
Afallon, Tanygrisiau, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd LL41 3RH
Email roryfrancis@woodland-trust.org.uk
Or Jon Winder, who manages the site for the Woodland Trust, on 01600 719281
Or The Woodland Trust Press Office email media@woodland-trust.org.uk or Tel 01476 581121
Notes for editors
1. The schools taking part in the week of acorn-planting events were: Griffithstown Junior School, Pontypool; Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbran Junior & Infants School; Garnteg Primary School, Pontypool; Somerton J&I School, Newport; Magor VA Primary School; New Inn Primary School, Pontypool; Oakfield Primary School, Cwmbran; Henllys J&I School, Cwmbran; Caerleon Endowed Junior School, Newport; Llandogo Primary School, Monmouth; Crownbridge Special School, Pontypool.
2. More information on Tree For All is available at www.treeforall.org.uk
3. Ancient woodland is defined as land that has been wooded for at least 400 years. It is the richest wildlife habitat in the UK and equivalent to the rainforest. Wentwood Forest is home to protected species like the dormouse, and thousands of other wildlife species including 23 species of native butterfly and 75 species of birds. The forest is the remnant of a vast woodland that once stretched from the river Usk in South Wales to the Wye Valley.
Coed Cadw (The Woodland Trust)
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 250,000 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 awareness 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). These include over 100 sites in Wales, with a total area of 1,580 hectares (3,900 acres). It offers free public access to nearly all of its sites. Further news can be accessed via www.coed-cadw.org.uk The Trust adopted a new Welsh language name in 2000: “Coed Cadw”. This is an old Welsh term, used in medieval laws to describe protected or preserved woodland.
