CROSSGATES Community Woodland will be planting free trees in The Taft, from the Woodland Trust to improve their local area and help the native woodland cover.

Crossgates Community Woodland are receiving a free 420 tree pack, in the ‘wildlife, wild harvest’ theme, which will enable residents to enjoy the benefits native trees bring to both local people and wildlife. The group has themselves purchased the stakes and protective tubes needed to protect the young trees.

If you would like to plant a tree with Crossgates Community Woodland, go prepared on Saturday 12th April from 11am to 3pm with a coat, warm clothes and a pair of boots or wellies are recommended. The British Legion Club car park will be open for parking, and is close to where the tree planting will take place. This is at the Taft Woodland, an entrance to which is behind the car park. The Taft is an area which has been used for a great number of years by the villagers of all ages as a recreational area and provide a chance for residents to expand their green lungs!

It was purchased from the Coal Authority on the 24th May 2005 under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act Community Right to Buy and was the first to be carried through under this legislation.

This means that the community owns an area of 36 acres including woods and fields. Since the Community buyout the group has put in place a car park, wild flower meadow, planted over 8000 trees, renewed and extended hedging, put in place over 1 mile of new paths, installed seating/picnic benches as well as put in 11 kissing gates, six field gates, renewed/extended fencing to contain the boundaries; and they also intend to put in place a children’s adventure play area. Over 1500 registrations were received for community packs this spring and as a result, more than 300,000 free trees will be planted across the UK. By the end of spring over 100 communities across Scotland will have celebrated with a public tree planting event thanks to the support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. Packs across the UK are also being provided in partnership with IKEA, who have generously raised over £1.4 million for the charity so far.

Community Woodland spokesperson, Robert Arnott, said, “Tree planting is a fantastic and fun way for us to do something lasting in our local area.

“We hope our trees will help attract wildlife and make a real difference to everyone who will see them. It’s incredible to think that in just five years, our trees will be as tall as us. We’d like as many people from the community to come along and help us.” Andrew Fairbairn, from the Woodland Trust Scotland added, “We are delighted Crossgates Community Woodland are using our free tree scheme to plant more trees in the location. Thanks to the support of the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and IKEA, communities are transforming their neighbourhoods, growing their own fruits and food, creating shade and shelter, and providing new homes for wildlife”.