Planting for the Future

Winkworth Blackheath, Chislehurst & Greenwich supported the planting of 102 climate resilient trees in a local school 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 Winkworth Blackheath, Chilsehurst and Greenwich, who have also supported planting in two more schools.

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

102

Trees Planted

100+

School Children Involved

Testimonials

"The young trees are given a really good soak every Tuesday in gardening club and Rainbow children also will water them at times during the week"

Planting for the Next Generation

In December 2022, children from years 1 to 6 at Snowsfields Primary School in Greater London planted 102 trees to create a haven for children and wildlife in the heart of central London. The trees were planted around the edge of the existing forest school area to encourage wildlife into the school grounds, to provide shade and add to the school's commitment to nature education.

Each year group enjoyed learning outdoors and asked our Educational Officer's lots of brilliant questions about trees. Now, the children will be able to see the trees grow as they move up the years at Snowsfields Primary, proudly having planted trees for future generations to enjoy too. Gardening clubs and Rainbow clubs look after the trees by watering them on a weekly basis.

Meet Our Education Officer

Jen and Eleanor

Jen is an advocate for great woodland management and has spent the last 11 years working in the nature conservation and ecology sectors. Before joining the Royal Forestry Society, Jen was a Fundraising Manager at the RSPB and previous to that, she worked as an ecological consultant and project manager. Jen holds a BSc (Hons) in Marine Biology and an MSc in Environmental Management.

Eleanor is passionate about giving children a connection to nature in order to develop environmentally conscious individuals who have a love of the outdoors. She is a qualified Forest School leader who specialises in creating safe environments where children can learn and push boundaries. Eleanor actively helps children develop confidence in the outdoor environment and shows them how to care for and look after trees and other wildlife.

Tree Species Planted:

102 trees planted in Greater London

25 Trees Planted

Beech: Fagus Sylvatica

If the oak is the king of British trees, then the beech is its queen. A dense canopy of leaves provides a rich habitat for all sorts of insects, its seeds are popular with mice and squirrels, and hole-nesting birds make their homes in beech trunks. Some of the UK’s tallest native trees are beeches, including one that stands at over 44m tall on the National Trust's Devil's Dyke Estate in West Sussex.

27 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.

25 Trees Planted

Elder: Sambucus Nigra

Elder trees can be found growing all over the UK, often near rabbit warrens and the homes of other woodland creatures who spread the seeds through their droppings. Our ancestors in the Middle Ages believed that planting elder trees near their houses would ward off the Devil, and elder leaves were thrown into graves at funerals to protect the dead from evil spirits. Although poisonous when raw, elderberries can be cooked and made into syrup or jam, while elderflowers make the perfect refreshing summer cordial.

25 Trees Planted

Field Maple: Acer Campestre

This species is the UK’s only native maple and is often grown as an ornamental tree in large gardens and parks, as well as in woods and hedgerows. Its wood is white, hard and strong, and is popular for making furniture, flooring and musical instruments, especially harps. Field maple flowers are hermaphrodite, meaning each flower contains both male and female reproductive parts.