Last Friday, the Friends of Maghull and District (FOMD) organised the planting of 240 trees at St Georges Primary School, supported by the enchanting schoolchildren, their families, local residents, and Mersey Forest.
Dr Frank Sharp (FOMD) explained: “In March, last year St Georges Primary School were really disappointed that the wet weather prevented the children from helping FOMD with the planting 1380 trees, in Bobbys Wood at Woodend. So we approached Teresa Mawtus (Teacher) and Peter Chapman (Headteacher) to explore potential tree planting and other green initiatives in the school grounds as part of a larger Maghull project to plant 3500 trees, emulating last year’s successful planting of 8800 trees. Teresa and Peter have been incredibly receptive and inspirational despite profound pandemic challenges. Consequently, alongside the dependable support of Ben Greenaway and his colleagues from Mersey Forest, we formulated a plan to provide 150m of perimeter hedging (bordering Old Hall Lane), several standard trees bordering the rear pathway entrance and develop a large wildflower area”.
Teresa added: “It has been wonderful to build on some of our past forestry school initiatives, which the children love to engage with, whilst providing them with an important appreciation of nature. In addition, it will provide: a fantastic environmental legacy for future children and the local community, wildlife habitat and food, carbon sequestering and reduce car pollution by 60%”.
Peter said: “I would like to express our gratitude to all the volunteers & children who helped to plant the 240 free Hawthorn and Hazel hedge whips, courtesy of a national organisation ‘The Conservation Volunteers’ (supported by OVO Energy). We are also grateful to Ben Greenaway (Mersey Forest) who kindly subcontracted Andrew Burran (Horticulturalist) to provide a brilliant introduction and support to our children. It was a really enjoyable experience for everybody, undertaken on a beautiful sunny winter morning and to our surprise it was all completed before dinner”.
In addition to the 240 school trees planted above, in the weeks before and after Christmas FOMD have planted 1310 trees as follows: In Pimbley Field (1) (Bridge Road/FieldWay) (a) 380 hawthorn and Hazel trees have been used to make the first half of a 156m hedge and repair 30 m of old hedging, and (b) 620 Grey Willow and Dog Rose trees have been used to re-wild part of the canal embankment. Whilst (c) in Parkbourn (2), 310 Dogwood trees have been planted as colourful red/yellow hedging throughout the seasons.
FOMD would really welcome anyone who is interested in climate action and supporting biodiversity, and has a little spare time, between now and March to help with further tree planting. Simply register your interest at woodendcwp@gmail. Next week, we hope to undertake some planting at Hudson Primary School, and then in March we are receiving further free trees from The Woodland Trust and will be returning to St Georges primary school to plant the second half of the hedge with 450 tree whips including: Hawthorn, Common Oak, Rowen, and Birch.
(1) https://www.facebook.com/groups/154530851941643/search/?q=Maghull%20Tree%20planting%20Update%20%26%20Thanks%3A%20Pimbley%20Field.
(2) https://www.facebook.com/groups/154530851941643/search/?q=The%20Seventh%20Wonder%20%E2%80%A6.%20in%20Ma