Communities and farmers come together to plant trees in Cambridgeshire
What an impressive weekend we had planting on Papley Grove Farm in Eltisley, Cambridgeshire, to kick off the planting season.
With just a modest group of 37 volunteers across both Saturday and Sunday, we managed to plant a staggering 3000 trees - that’s over 80 trees per person!
The trees we planted will grow to form 550 meters of new hedgerow, that will sequester carbon for years to come and create a much needed biodiversity corridor across the farm providing a home for a whole range of wildlife!
None of this could have been achieved without the dedication and hard work of our amazing volunteers (who ranged from the age of 1 to 71!).
I most enjoyed feeling part of something worthwhile and significant, and the positivity from the difference our work will make for local wildlife, air quality and climate change. (Daniel, volunteer)
With a positive energy, a sense of shared purpose, and plenty of cups of tea, we helped each other to fight the elements so that each day we could plant as many trees as possible. Thank you volunteers!
Our Eltisley tree planting weekend was the first in a line of events we have planned across the country with other farmers who are realising the benefits of putting hedgerows and biodiversity back onto their farms.
All the farmers that we will be working with are part of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) - a collective of climate-conscious farmers who are committed regenerative farming methods that can increase carbon capture and biodiversity across the UK.
A huge thank you to Martin Lines (who is both the Chair of NFFN and the owner of Papley Grove farm). Not only did his covered trailer provide a welcome break when the windy got too much, but he was such an inspiration during the weekend.
Martin’s knowledge and expertise inn planting trees and the benefits of what we were doing, was a fantastic encouragement for our volunteers (and Possible staff too!).
This event was a great success and we hope it is the start of many more like it this planting season.