Monday 6 September 2010

Celebrating 10 years of Woods on your Doorstep across the UK

This morning has been busy and exciting for me. One of my favourite charities, 'The Woodland Trust' is celebrating the tenth birthday of their 'Woods on your Doorstep' Campaign. The campaign is actually 15 years old but it is 10 years since the campaigns first woods were planted.

To celebrate the 10th birthday of the campaigns community woods, the Woodland Trust are giving away 250 packs of trees to schools and community groups across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Sounds fantastic doesn't it? An opportunity too good to let slip by. So after first running the idea past some friends and family in the area I wrote to Anglesey Council and North Wales Wildlife Trust to ask if they could spare some land in which a community can plant a woodland and Sacred Grove on.

The North Wales Wildlife Trust were the first to get back to me offering contact names within the council and suggesting other organisations that may be interested in helping out. Aren't they wonderful! So after resending my original email to the named contact within the council , I called a lady at Mentor Mon who was very helpful and has offered to discuss the proposal with Anglesey Council to see if a suitable piece of land can be found. If land can be found, Mentor Mon will see if they can assist the project too.

Feeling very optimistic about the matter, I then decided to call the local school to see if they would be interested in helping plant a community woodland if 1) an appropriate piece of land can be secured for planting the trees on, and 2) we are successful in an application to the Woodland Trust. The school are very interested in getting involved.

So, now that the first tentative steps have been made into securing land for the creation of a community woodland and securing support from vital members of the community I am waiting with baited breath to see if we will be able to make an application to The Woodland Trust for one of their free packs of trees. Here is a list of the information required by the Woodland Trust which should be included on all applications:


* Where you are planting your trees - public / private land?
* What arrangement you have with the landowner - short-term / long-term lease? Please do not apply unless you have the landowner's permission.
* How many people will you involve in your project?
* How will you care for your trees in the long-term?
* A FULL grid reference (or full postcode) showing where the trees will be planted. Identifying your planting location is critical for us to process your application.


Right now, I don't know if this project will be given the green light or not, but it is exciting that it is being considered and we have community interest in the idea. Wish us luck!

If you are interested in creating a community woodland why not make an application to The Woodland Trust yourself? All applications must reach The Woodland Trust by the 30th September 2010. Good luck!


10 comments:

Suzi Smith said...

Fingers crossed for you J, it will be a lovely project to get off the ground x

Jasmine said...

Thank you Suzi. I hope we get some land, and then some trees... There are plenty of interested people to help out with the project. Fingers crossed xx

Barb said...

That video moved me to tears.

Caio Fern said...

oh Jasmine... this is wonderful !!

Jasmine said...

Barb - it is moving to know what communities can do together and the legacy that can be created. Community projects like this are so important too as the sense of ownership and pride will lead to generations of volunteer wardens if you like. I hope we can find some land in time to make an application. I have a perfect site in mind but do not know who the land belongs to or even if they would be willing to give it up for this purpose. Time will tell :)

Caio, it is exciting isn't it! Prey for land for me! xJ

ArtSparker said...

I am impressed by activism - you go, girl!

Gina said...

Good luck

Love and hugs Gina xxx

sue said...

good luck jasmine.. i really hope this all comes together..xx

Theresa MacNaughton said...

This is such a beautiful thing! My fingers are crossed for you - good luck! Theresa

Wildflowerhouse said...

Oh Jasmine this video is wonderful. I wish you the best of luck. Sharon