During the week beginning 19^th February, volunteers from NTU and beyond planted approximately 1700 native trees in Orwin’s Field on Brackenhurst Campus.

The majority of the trees are part of an academic research project on the impact of different species on soil pH. These trees were planted in squares of 100 equally spaced whips, with each square being made up of one species – either Scott’s pine, pedunculate oak, alder or field maple. An additional mix of native species was planted along the edge of the field to provide a more natural habitat for wildlife.

More than 40 students, including members of the Conservation Society, volunteered their time planting the trees. Four volunteers attend in association with Age UK and their dedicated section will be marked with a plaque. Several members of the Keeping It Wild youth group came from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust for the day as well. Staff from the Sustainable Development Team also enjoyed an afternoon of planting and problem solving as they plotted the exact locations of the next blocks of trees.

Age UK and student volunteers

The area is the second of a series of planned woodlands around the estate with the aims of carbon sequestration and habitat creation. The first woodland of 2500 trees was planted with volunteers in March 2017 at Parkside Close and we hope to be able to plant more areas in the next couple of years. Both areas have been supported by funding from the Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme and will be registered with the Forestry Commission’s Carbon Code.

Keeping It Wild volunteers from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

This was my first experience of planting a woodland and leading volunteers but I loved being outside all week, especially when the sun came out, and it was great to see our progress. The volunteers really got stuck in and some even came back for more. Getting so many trees in the ground by the end of the week felt like a big achievement because a lot of work and coordination between staff, the Woodland Trust and the nursery went into planning the planting. I hope that the trees grow successfully and provide habitats and research opportunities for years to come.

Each tree has a protective guard to prevent it being eaten by animals

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-This blog post was written by Kate Divey-Matthews the Environmental Engagement Assistant in the Sustainable Development Team at NTU. Many thanks from the Green Academy! 

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