Planting for the Future

HH Global supported the planting of 50 climate resilient trees in a local school in 2023

Project Overview

This report is about the Trees for Schools project where climate resilient trees have been planted in a local primary school thanks to support from HH Global.

Every tree planting workshop with the Trees for Schools programme is bespoke and tailored to the needs of the school. We take into account the age of the children and the existing availability of green space for new trees. A pre-planting consultation with the school helps us to understand which species will best suit their plans for the site, map out the planting and plan how the trees will best be used as a resource for the school and community.

Through this project, young people were taught about the importance of trees to local wildlife and why we need to plant them to help protect our planet. The children learnt how to plant trees and then helped plant them with our Education Officer. As well as educating children about climate change and wildlife, this project helped create green learning spaces in schools and benefited children’s health and wellbeing by getting them outside and learning in a new environment.

Project Statistics

50

Trees Planted

250

School Children Involved

Testimonials

"Alice is absolutely brilliant and all of the children love her sessions! The children were really excited to plant the trees and loved using the spades! - Headteacher This is our legacy! They will be here forever and that is because of us 😄! - Student "

Planting for the Next Generation

Winshill Village Primary School has 250 pupils, aged 2-11. In November 2023, pupils enjoyed a day learning in the outdoors, planting trees and learning about wildlife through games. 50 trees were planted by the school's fence to provide protection, shelter and new habitat for local wildlife. The children learnt about the powerful role trees play in providing clean air and look forward to watching them grow as they move up the school years.

On the outskirts of Burton-upon-Trent, Winshill Village Primary School is part of the National Forest area, a project which is using tree planting and nature recovery to transform communities characterised by high unemployment and deprivation following the closure of the mines, open cast quarries and heavy industry which characterised the area in the 20th century. Government deprivation statistics show that this community is in the lowest 30% nationally for educational outcomes for its residents. Planting trees in urban communities such as these is crucial for addressing these challenges, improving mental and physical health and giving pupils a pride in their school and community.

HH Global Trees planting in Winshill Village Primary School

Meet Our Education Officer

Alice

Alice is an experienced primary school teacher and forest school leader with a passion for getting children out into forests and learning about them.

Tree Species Planted:

50 Trees Palnted in Burton upon Trent

8 Trees Planted

Silver Birch: Betula pendula

The silver birch is an elegant, majestic-looking tree which can survive in a range of climates, making it a very popular choice for gardeners. It attracts hundreds of insect species, and woodpeckers like to nest in its rough, tough, silver-white trunk. There is a lot of mythology attached to the silver birch, which is said to symbolise purity, new beginnings and protection. Once upon a time, on Midsummer’s Eve, silver birch boughs were hung across the doors of houses to bring good luck to their residents.

17 Trees Planted

Hornbeam: Carpinus Betulus

The hornbeam is extremely tough and keeps its leaves all year round, making it an attractive proposition for birds, insects and other animals. Hornbeam wood is very hard, in fact it is also known as “ironwood” and the Romans recognised its durability, using it to make their chariots. Nowadays, this timber is used for tool handles, coach wheels, parquet flooring and chess pieces!

17 Trees Planted

Hawthorn: Crataegus Monogyna

Hawthorn is very much associated with the month of May, and the appearance of its bright, white flowers heralds the change from spring to summer. It is prolific in hedgerows, scrub and woodland throughout the UK and Ireland, and a single tree can grow as tall as 10m. In pagan times, hawthorn was a symbol of marriage and fertility, but in the Middle Ages, it was never brought into homes, as people believed it was a harbinger of illness and death.

8 Trees Planted

Rowan: Sorbus Aucuparia

Also known as the mountain ash, rowan trees grow well at high altitudes and are commonly found in the Scottish Highlands, as well as on streets and in gardens across the UK. Many birds eat their scarlet berries in the autumn, then disperse the seeds. Rowan used to be planted next to homes to ward off the threat of witches, as red was once believed to guard against evil.