The Tree Council joined City of Doncaster Council and the Friends of Sandall Park to plant a seasonal range of tree species across the much-loved green space, thanks to Defra’s Trees Outside Woodland Fund.
The newly planted trees will form part of the Children’s Future Forest project, which will see 366 trees – one for each day of a leap year – established across multiple sites around the city.
The Tree Council joined the local authority’s Environmental Sustainability and Tree teams – and the Friends group – to plant out the first section of the programme in Sandall Park, with further plantings taking place later this month.
Vicky Stokoe is Vice Chair of the Friends of Sandall Park group. She said: “This is everyone’s back garden, it’s accessible and used by a lot of people.
“There is a play area just over there – people will be able to bring their kids round and see a bit of wildlife.”
The chosen site has suffered with drainage problems and waterlogging historically, which the team hope will be much alleviated by the newly established trees.
The scheme includes twelve carefully selected native species, each representing a month of the year and reflecting seasonal change, cultural heritage, and biodiversity value.
A huge variety of trees planted will bring colour and vibrancy throughout the year. It includes classic natives like silver birch and oak; scots pine and holly for winter green; hawthorn, crab apple and wild cherry for spring colours; elder, hazel and rowan for their fruits and nuts; and field maple for its stunning autumn displays.
The site was planned to allow a path – or unplanted area – to wind its way through the newly forested space, so members of the public can walk beneath the canopy as the trees reach maturity.
Julia Foster is the Trees and Woodland Development Officer at City of Doncaster Council. She said: “The Children’s Future Forest has been a flagship project for our tree planting season this year – it’s great to already have so many positive comments about the planting from site users.
“We’ve turned an underused space within the park into a vibrant woodland where children and families can enjoy nature right on their doorstep. It gives local people of all ages a chance to connect with each other and also supports our neighbourhood biodiversity, as well as contributing towards Doncaster’s “One Million Trees” target.
“We look forward to seeing it establish over the years to come.”
The Tree Council offers a range of grant funding to support tree establishment. To find out more, please visit www.treecouncil.org.uk/grants-and-guidance/our-grants/
