Children to help plant hundreds of trees in Dorchester
Forestry England's given £30,000 to help the scheme
Almost a thousand trees will be planted at the King’s Road playing field in Dorchester in the coming weeks.
Subject to Covid restrictions and the weather local schoolchildren will be invited to take part in the project towards the end of this month – adding to a belt of trees alongside the river planted last year.
Part of the scheme is being funded by a £30,000 grant from the Forestry Commission which will involve the planting of a further 70 heavy standard trees all provided with supporting stakes and ties, mulching mats to suppress weed growth and watering kits for use in the summer. Maintenance in the form of regular weeding and watering will then be carried out for a full three years.
In addition, a further 230 light standard trees will be planted with the same accessories and maintenance regime. When combined, these plantings should see the near completion of the second central area of planting at the recreation ground’s open space.
Support for the project has been offered by the construction firm building the multi-storey car park at Dorset County Hospital, Wilmott Dixon. It has agreed to fund a further 600 tree ‘whips’ (smaller plants) for the area, town councillors were told by outdoor services manager Carl Dallison.
Mr Dallison said the final phase of the King’s Road planting, to be carried out in 2023, will see the last section on the western side of the field adjacent to Kings Road completed allowing the development of a circular woodland walk path.
Mayor Gareth Jones said:
“We are all aware of how important trees are for the wider environment and we are very pleased to have received this funding which will help us plant more trees at Kings Road. In addition to the environmental benefits, it is now widely known that trees and woodland offer great benefits to people in terms of both a sense of wellbeing and mental health and to have the extra funding to allow us to create a small woodland that will provide such benefits is very exciting, and especially that this project will carry on benefitting the people of Dorchester for decades to come.”
The team have clearly worked hard to secure the funding and put plans in place not only to plant the trees but to maintain them with operations such as watering, pruning and weeding over at least the next three years to ensure the trees get off to as good a start as possible.”
Cllr Fiona Kent-Ledger, Chair of the Management Committee at Dorchester Town Council said:
“It is fantastic news that we have received this grant money which will deliver a further 71 large standard trees a part of phase two of our woodland project. These trees will be planted in the central area of the wood and will be separated from the phase one planting by a curved grass walk that will eventually wind its way through the woodland.
The Town Council will also provide and plant more trees in this area this year to really make an impact. It is very encouraging to know we are providing a home for wildlife, helping the environment and creating a facility that people can use and be involved with. We hope that the community will take part in some of the planting and maintenance, in addition we will also be employing a person on a part time basis to care for the planting which will be a great opportunity for someone to help develop a lasting feature in Dorchester’s landscape.”