Paintings Plantation tree reserve is growing in size with help from Warwickshire County Council’s Green Shoots fund.
The tree reserve and pond area cover approximately 1.5 acres and are situated in the grounds of Campion School in Sydenham, Royal Leamington Spa. The Paintings Plantation Steering Group were successful in their Green Shoots bid for £3,000 in funding to provide thirty new blossom trees including stakes, insect protection material and compost.
The new blossom trees will provide a lasting legacy to both the plantation and the local community as trees planted in 2021/2022 are expected to absorb carbon from the atmosphere for at least the next 50 years. So far, fifteen of the new trees have been planted, with the remaining number expected to be in the ground by summer. A team of volunteers from Bridgestone Tyres, whose Head Office is in Warwick, came along to help with the planting of the trees. As the previously unused ground is further developed, bug hotels, bird boxes and hedgehog houses will also provide a welcome boost to local wildlife habitation.
The Paintings Plantation Project is a community-run initiative, entirely operated by a dedicated team of ten volunteers from Age UK Coventry and Warwickshire. The organisation is directed by a steering committee, which meets regularly with school representatives (including elected students) to determine the activities of the group. In the past, students taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme, supported by Warwick Tree Wardens, attended the reserve every week to learn how to maintain and identify trees as well as grow seeds and plugs, and then plant vegetables. The reserve serves as an outdoor classroom, and the project has brought together students from across the curriculum, including those studying art, photography, and science.
As well as bringing a touch of colour to the area, and a boost to local biodiversity, the expansion of the tree reserve will bring a range of other benefits. The project gives a chance for local volunteers to exercise, exchange knowledge and skills, and provides an opportunity for companionship that will help to combat loneliness. For students at Campion School, the project provides a space for skills development, building confidence and helps to foster an understanding of nature and the environment in the next generation.
Elizabeth Phillips MBE, Chair of the Paintings Plantation Steering Group, said: “The work undertaken by our team of volunteers, who develop and maintain the plantation, with the support of Bridgestone Tyres who did the tree planting, is a brilliant example of co-operation to make a real difference to our environment and well-being.”
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture, said: “The Paintings Plantation tree reserve is a shining example of the kind of projects we can all get involved with, joining together in order to fight against climate change at a local level. The myriad of benefits, from increasing biodiversity to fostering climate awareness in the younger generation, are precisely what we hoped to achieve through our Green Shoots fund.
“Trees hold great value for many reasons: they capture carbon from the atmosphere and harmful particulates from the air we breathe. They create shade when it’s very hot, and they can help reduce the risk of flooding. They also create habitats for wildlife from the moment they are planted, until long after they have died. Studies have shown that planting trees, and getting out amongst them, is also great for physical and mental wellbeing.
“At Warwickshire County Council we are committed to planting new trees throughout the county and have ambitious plans which will see a tree planted for each and every resident.”
Further information about Campion School can be found here: https://campion.warwickshire.sch.uk/
A full list of projects that will receive Green Shoots Community Climate Change funding can be found here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/2324/green-shoots-will-soon-be-springing-up-across-warwickshire-as-projects-set-to-receive-a-share-of-wcc-s-1-million-community-climate-change-fund-are-announced
For more information about the Fund, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/greenshootsfund
For more information about how Warwickshire is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/
Get the latest news about how Warwickshire County Council and partners are facing the challenge of the climate emergency and how you can get involved: http://eepurl.com/hrk-zf