Scouting centenary planters fight climate change at Hainault Forest
As part of the scouting centenary celebrations in 2007, groups of young people, supported by the Woodland Trust, planted about 5,000 trees in Hainault Forest.
Supervised by a team of environmental educators, a number of Cubs, Beavers, Scouts and Explorers took part in a series of planting sessions during the year. These were held at Havering Park Farm, a site adjoining Hainault Forest, owned by the Woodland Trust since 2006.
Creating a better environment
Says Janet the team leader, “This project was about extending woodland and creating a better natural environment. It was also about encouraging young people to do their bit to fight climate change.
“We aim to plant trees in the dormant season which is October to March. So for the 2007 scouting centenary celebrations we did our planting at the start of the year and towards the end.”
Each event, which lasted about two hours, began with a demonstration of how to plant a tree. They were each then allocated a spade and 10 saplings. Trees chosen were native broadleaves including oak, ash, beech, maple, hornbeam and wild cherry.
During the sessions trees were planted about two metres apart in parallel but wavy lines. This creates a natural, random look which at the same time makes for easy woodland management as the trees grow.
Looking for birds and small mammals
We estimate that about 90 per cent of the trees planted at the site will survive, leading to the gradual creation of a new ecosystem. In just a few years, you will see an environment forming which is good for hunting birds and small mammals. It can take another 15 to 20 years, however, before the canopy starts to close in and you begin to get more of a dense woodland habitat.
All told about 55,000 trees are expected to be added to the site through a variety of planting initiatives. This means the youngsters will have been responsible for creating almost 10 per cent of the new woodland at Havering Park Farm.
A brilliant time
Apart from one occasion, when it was too wet and windy for a group of six-year-olds to carry on, we were able to complete all the plantings as planned. Feedback from the young people taking part suggests they had a brilliant time and really enjoyed themselves.
A number of adults - mostly parents and leaders - were also present at the events to support the young planters and make sure they followed proper health and safety procedures.
The scouting centenary activities in Hainault Forest were just one part of a nationwide planting programme in 2007 designed to create 100 centenary groves, each consisting of thousands of trees. For more details:
