BBC Tree O’Clock Campaign
27/01/2010
The BBC Breathing Spaces Campaign for this Autumn, Tree O’Clock was to plant a record number of trees on a number of sites across the UK, involving Scouts, Guides, other uniform organisations and the general public. The previous Guinness World Record was 18,124 trees in an hour and the organisers were hoping to plant 26,422 on lots of sites. In Cambridgeshire, Scouts were seen planting under the watchful eyes of professional planters.
Explorer Scouts from the 14th Cambridge, Scouts from the 1st Brington and Cub Scouts from 1st Fenstanton & Hilton met on a bright sunny morning at Hinchingbrooke Country Park, where under the instructions and guidance from the rangers they took part in Tree O’Clock, helping to plant 207 trees in 20 minutes.
Park Ranger, David Robinson said “Hinchingbrooke is one of seven different sites across Huntingdonshire where Scouts and the public were invited to join in planting native deciduous tree saplings. There was also a good turn out from the 1st Hunts Hartford at Coneygear Community Park and 1st Soham in their home village and a similar number of trees planted. Today we have planted baby oak and ash, plus slightly bigger field maple, cherry, plum. Each tree will be guarded against rabbits and deer which like to eat fresh new shoots”
The new woodland planted at Hinchingbrooke Country Park is all part of the important habitat management that the ranger staff and volunteers carry out on a day to day basis. The new wood will be finished off in the Spring with a hedgerow made up from locally sourced native deciduous species.
To get involved in Tree Planting and other similar activities benefiting the environment then contact the rangers at Hinchingbrooke Country Park. Alternatively, if Huntingdon is too far to travel get in touch with your local nature reserve, country park or Town park and find out how you can help build a better world for the future.
