Planting for the Future

Simple Life Homes supported the planting of 200 climate resilient trees in a school in their local area in 2022-23.

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 Simple Life Homes, who are planting in more schools in local areas this year.

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

200

Trees Planted

147

School Children Involved

Testimonials

"We are excited to see both children and trees grow and flourish throughout their school career, leaving a Green Legacy for years to come. We would like to share our thanks for an extraordinary day of tree planting yesterday. The children had so much fun, and learned a great deal about nature and the environment. We will feedback to the children further after Easter, monitoring the trees growth and talking about the ‘Green Legacy’ they have created. We greatly look forward to the outdoor learning sessions in the Autumn."

Planting for the Next Generation

In March 2023, Simple Life Homes' Biodiversity project supported 147 primary school children planting 200 trees in Waverley Academy in the Doncaster area. The planting initiative became part of the school's Go Green Campaign. Each child planted a tree to bring benefits to our planet, people and wildlife.

The group of very excited and energetic children, aged 5-11, planted a mini forest on a strip of land beside their school with their teachers, led by Tim from the Royal Forestry Society and joined by Niamh from Simple Life Homes. An equal mix of the following species were planted: field maple, rowan, silver birch and wild cherry.

Niamh enjoyed the day so much that she wrote a poem about the mini-foresters she met at Waverley Academy:

Waverley’s Woodland Destination Doncaster To wonderful Waverley School Green the UK Tree planting day! 147 Champion children Their terrific teachers too! 200 small but strong saplings: Cheerful cherries,

Remarkable rowans, Magnificent maples, Beautiful birch. Tremendous Tim Taught us all about trees. Our knowledge of nature? Bright, brilliant and brainy. Excited enthusiasm Enormous energy

Soft, solid, and stony soil, We dug with spades of steel Searched for tiny treasure Plastics and painted pottery pieces! As talented teams We wonderfully worked Lots of loud laughter Fun with our friends. Great giggles aghast

At wild wriggly worms Much marvellous mud On happy, helpful hands. True teamwork throughout In sunshine and showers. Our special wild woodland Our fantastic forest A lasting Legacy A space of supremacy!"

Meet Our Education Officer

Tim

Tim is an ecologist with 20 + years experience in Environmental Education. He has a particular interest in woodland fungi and recently discovered a rare slug while working on a Teaching Trees visit. Tim covers Herefordshire and Worcestershire, occasionally slightly further afield.

Tree Species Planted: