Published on 11th December 2020

Council officers and school children planting trees for schoos

Cheltenham schools are working with the council to raise awareness with their pupils and take positive action in light of the climate emergency by planting trees on school land.

The borough council declared a climate emergency earlier this year and has an ambitious target of becoming a carbon neutral town by 2030.

As part of this, a huge effort is underway to plant more trees, and the council is urging schools to gain support from The Woodland Trust’s Trees for Schools scheme and help children to get involved.

Naunton Park Primary School has already signed up and has started planting 150 trees at its school in Leckhampton; Warden Hill School’s Eco Committee pupils and teachers planted around 200 trees on 8 December; Holy Apostles School is planting trees in the coming weeks, and Rowanfield Junior School is also planting 400 trees as part of its forest school sessions.

Cllr Max Wilkinson, cabinet member for climate and communities, said: “I’m inspired by all the children and teachers at schools across our town who are taking part in tree-planting to help draw attention to the climate emergency.

“Some of my earliest memories are of attending tree-planting projects. I know that it instilled in me a lifelong commitment to the environment and I hope it will do the same for pupils in Cheltenham schools.

‘’Our Carbon Neutral Cheltenham report highlights tree planting as one of the ways we can offset carbon emissions, everybody should have a chance to play their part, not least the children who are the future custodians of our town and our planet.

“It would be lovely to see trees being planted at every school in our borough, no matter what space is available. We’d like to support every school to sign up to the Woodland Trust’s scheme and our expert officers can give advice on tree-planting if support is needed.”

Christopher Chavasse, senior trees officer continued: “Cheltenham is very proud of the rich legacy of trees within the borough and they give Cheltenham much of its character.  It is hoped that the results of the tree planting in schools program will inspire children to learn more about their local surroundings and to continue to love nature in Cheltenham just as much as it is loved by older residents today.”

Pictures of Cheltenham’s schools tree planting activities will be shared on the council’s social media platforms, Twitter @CheltenhamBC and Facebook @CheltBC 

For more information on the council’s climate emergency work visit the council’s website: www.cheltenham.gov.uk/climate-emergency and for more information about trees in Cheltenham, visit the trees webpages.

For media enquiries, contact: communications, telephone 01242 264154, email [email protected]

 

Photo: Year 6 children from Naunton Park School with Cllr Max Wilkinson and senior trees officer, Chris Chavasse.