Schools across Basingstoke are being offered the chance to connect with nature and improve their local area by planting trees – for free. Children can look forward to planting a copse (small group of trees) or hedge, which can provide a wild harvest, or a burst of year round colour.
Over the next four years, the Government is supporting The Woodland Trust to offer an additional 400,000 British native trees to up to 7,000 state funded primary schools in England.
As well as free tree packs, for eligible schools, there’s help with finding somewhere else to plant if there isn’t room in school grounds; protection to help the trees grow; and on-line curriculum-linked resources to support teachers’ lesson plans.
Maria said: “This great opportunity will help schools improve their local environment and enable children to learn about nature. Trees bring enormous benefits to the local landscape and I want to encourage every Primary School in Basingstoke to participate in this initiative.”
Beccy Speight, Chief Executive of The Woodland Trust said: “It’s vitally important children get the chance to plant a tree. We know from our research it’s a memory they'll treasure for years to come, and often starts their relationship off with the natural world and all the benefits that brings.”
“This scheme offers schools which have found it hard in the past a new way to plant trees, and bring an oasis of green into their community.”
Apply for a free tree pack by visiting the Woodland Trust website, www.woodlandtrust.org.uk or search ‘School tree packs’ on-line; http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/freetrees
The closing date for applications is September 9th 2016 for tree delivery in November.