Treesy does it as pupils get planting

Local schoolchildren were invited to plant a further 700 trees in 85-acre Auldcathie District Park in Winchburgh last week.

Winchburgh Developments welcomed over 100 P5, 6, and 7 pupils from Winchburgh and Holy Family primary schools to the community woodland.

The children were supported by horticultural students from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), who helped them make the most of the outdoor learning experience – the first time the pupils have been able to do so in two years.

The saplings were gifted to the Winchburgh Community Growers by conservation charity I Dig Trees.

Grant Skillen, lecturer in Horticulture at SRUC, said: “It was fantastic to witness today’s horticulture students encouraging the next generation of budding horticulturists in planting native tree species.”

Half of the 85-acre park is now open and can be accessed by recently added routes from the B9080.

The half open park includes new walking and running routes, a community garden and a dog park.

Ian Harvey, head teacher at Winchburgh Primary School, said: “Our senior pupils were enthusiastic about planting hundreds of the new trees in their new district park.

“This has been another example of our pupils living our values and developing skills for life and work.”

The park will eventually span more than twice the area of Edinburgh’s Princes Street Gardens when completed next year.

It will see a further 15,000 trees planted and include a variety of different open spaces including a dedicated bike park, additional paths and fitness trails, extensive wildlife areas and a community orchard.

Colette Murray, head teacher at Holy Family RC Primary School, said:“Everyone had a wonderful time planting the trees.

“It was great to see the children so stimulated by outdoor learning and the SRUC students really engaged them.

“We look forward to watching the trees grow alongside the pupils.”

The trees were planted adjacent to the new schools’ campus area, which is located on the south-east boundary of the park site.

With good connections between the park and schools’ campus, these ‘schools in the park’ will feature playing fields and synthetic sports pitches, providing an outdoor learning environment for future pupils.

Spanning 352 hectares, Winchburgh is one of the largest place-making projects currently underway in the UK, delivering at least 3,800 homes, improved transport links, employment opportunities, schools and outdoor spaces.

The £1 billion development encircles the historic village of Winchburgh and has been in development for the last 10 years.

Welookforwardtowatchingthetreesgrow alongside the pupils