1 December 2005
GREEN FINGERED DEPUTY ENVIRONMENT MINISTER SETS GOOD EXAMPLE DURING NATIONAL TREE WEEKTamsin Dunwoody AM to join Rhoose children in tree planting challenge
Children from Rhws Primary School, Rhoose, got some extra help on Wednesday as they set about planting trees as part of the ambitious Tree For All campaign by the Woodland Trust (Coed Cadw). Tamsin Dunwoody AM, the newly appointed Deputy Minister for Environment Planning and the Countryside in the Welsh Assembly Government, joined them at Porthkerry Country Park near Barry, to help them plant trees, to find out more about the Tree For All tree planting campaign, and to set a good example during National Tree Week (1).
As part of its Tree For All campaign, the Woodland Trust is aiming to plant a tree for every child in the UK over a five year period, 12 million in total, and to involve 1 million children in doing this. At Porthkerry Country Park, the Woodland Trust has teamed up with the Vale of Glamorgan Council3, which want to create some new native woodland at the site. With the help from the Council, the Woodland Trust has agreed to organise for around 300 children from 6 local schools to plant trees during the week beginning 28 November, contributing towards the 6,000 trees that the Woodland Trust will be planting at the site this year.
Jon Winder of the Woodland Trust, which is organised the event, says: “The Tree For All Campaign aims to inspire a new generation of youngsters to reconnect with the natural world. We believe that every child should have the chance to plant trees, and yes, to get muddy and have fun doing so. We’re delighted that Tamsin Dunwoody has made time in her busy schedule to come along, because her support helps to reinforce how important it is to plant trees, create new woods and involve young people in the natural world.”
Tamsin Dunwoody says: “Trees and woodland are a really important part of our natural environment. They can provide a habitat for wildlife, enhance the beauty of the countryside, attract people outdoors to do healthy exercise, help purify the air and enhance the local environment in towns and cities across the country. The Welsh Assembly Government’s Environment Strategy urges people to plant trees and shrubs which are beneficial to wildlife, so I was keen to come along today, hear more about the Tree For All campaign, meet the children and teachers from Rhws Primary School and get involved in the planting trees with them.”
To make sure that every school and youth group has the chance to get involved in the Tree For All campaign, the Woodland Trust is offering them a free pack of 30 trees for planting a small length of hedge or a copse. Schools groups and youth groups wishing to take up this offer should log on to: www.woodland-trust.org.uk/hedge and fill in the online form. Those without internet access can phone (01524) 222459 to register for a pack. The packs come with guidance on how to plant and maintain the trees, plus bilingual curriculum linked activities. These documents can be downloaded directly from the Internet at: www.wild-about-woods.org.uk
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 The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, e-mail media@woodland-trust.org.uk
Notes to editors:
1. National Tree Week is the Tree Council’s festival to mark the start of the tree planting season, and a nationwide celebration of trees and woods. Across the country there will be lots of opportunities to plant trees, or to take part in events, walks, talks, songs, story-telling and tree dressing. It runs from 23 November to 4 December 2005. For more details see: www.treecouncil.org.uk/projects/ntw.htm
2. A number of key members of the Council will be present on day. They are: Cllr Mike Harvey, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure and Cllrs Tony Hampton, Janice Charles and Emlyn Williams, who are all local members for Illtyd, the electoral ward into which Porthkerry Park falls.
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.woodland-trust.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.
