Volunteers plant 1,100 trees in two months as part of campaign
» AN eco-army of volunteers from across the county have achieved the amazing feat of planting 1,100 trees in two months.
In July, BBC Radio Gloucestershire launched their Ourboretum campaign to replace some of the thousands of trees in the county being devastated by ash dieback - by planting 2,020 saplings.
Ash dieback is a fungal disease which, according to the Woodland Trust, will kill up to 95 per cent of all ash trees in the UK.
The project called upon volunteers to grow saplings at home, which will then be planted outside in the winter of 2021/22.
Since late July, the green-thumbed people of Gloucestershire have leapt to the challenge, and have planted 650 acorns, 200 beechmast and 270 hazelnuts since late July.
These will grow into beautiful trees for us to enjoy and homely habitats for animals to thrive in.
A range of people have gotten involved with the project so far, including a woman growing a tree in memory of her mum, a family-run coach company who got staff involved as ‘a symbol of new beginnings’, and a Forest of Dean gardening group who have grown 50 trees.
BBC Radio Gloucestershire breakfast presenter Mark Cummings said: “Ourboretum is showing just how important the great outdoors is to Gloucestershire folk.
“If our amazing volunteer army continues like this, we won’t just hit the 2020 target - we’ll smash it!”
If you want to get involved in the Ourboretum campaign, there are a few steps to go through.
First of all - you’ll need to collect seeds. BBC Radio Gloucestershire have set out guidance at bbc.co.uk/ programmes/articles/3gsc23y0kmpRhzsvch3shh6/ourboretum. You will also find all the information you need to start growing your seeds online there too.
The saplings you grow at home will then be planted across the county in winter 2021/22.
BBC Radio Gloucestershire and Cotswolds AONB will identify locations where the fledgling trees can be sown and aim to log each one to create a permanent record of where they are growing.