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Projects 2007/08
Projects 2006/07
Corporate Tree Planting Day
Plant a Tree for Life Community Tree Planting Day
Apple Day at the Botanical Gardens
Heritage Apple Project at the Edgbaston Guinea Gardens
Civic Society 90th Birthday City Centre Gardens Tree
Balhams Wood Nature Reserve
Brookvale Park
Cannon Hill Park
Highbury Park
Kings Norton Nature Reserve
Newhall Valley Country Park
Norman Chamberlain Local Nature Reserve
Summerfield Park
Ward End Park
Warren Farm Road - Conker Island
Westley Vale Millennium Green
Jamboree Avenue, Sutton Park
Reading Trees
The Erdington Bequest
Summary Table of Achievements
During the winter of 2007/08 we planted 212 large semi-mature trees, 1,500 smaller
‘whips’ and 40 apple trees. The events involved 1,400 adults and 610 children helped
to plant trees.
It was a sunny day when office workers from nine Birmingham companies swapped
wellies for computers to plant trees in Sheldon Country Park one Friday lunchtime on
22nd February 2007. Each company group planted a large semi-mature tree and five
saplings. The Lord and Lady Mayoress had stout shoes on as they chatted to those
busy with spades and then posed for photographs with each group. Plaques for the
office were presented to the companies taking part and lunch rounded off a satisfying
‘dress down day’ with young people displaying their commitment to the environment,
corporate social responsibility and improving their own city. Some of the twelve
companies who had donated their £250 sponsorship were unable to attend, so they
will be invited to another event.
The ‘Plant a Tree for Life’ scheme enables individuals and their friends & family to
sponsor a tree. Not only do they receive a personalised certificate to record their
donation of £25, but they also have the opportunity to actually plant the tree
themselves. On 23rd February 2007 people gathered to plant their trees.
One couple was celebrating their engagement, one family had come to remember
the death of a loved one and several families came so that their young children
could plant a tree in a public park where they could visit it in years to come.
As some of the people who had sponsored trees could not be at the event,
their trees were planted by BTFL members.
In October, rural areas hold events to celebrate harvest in general and the
apple in particular, but not many cities hold the traditional ‘Apple Day’.
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses worked in partnership
with BTFL to hold a very popular event in Edgbaston on 27th October 2007
- over 1,000 people attended. A magnificent display of over 250 apple varieties
was supplied by Nick Dunn of Frank P Matthews from Tenbury Wells.
He also provided a display of different types and styles of apple trees.
Also at the event were cider tasting and lectures on cider making, a display
by the Marcher Apple Network, apple crushing and juicing and apple bobbing.
Many people brought their apples along to be identified by apple doctor Tony Gentil.
The adjoining Edgbaston Guinea Gardens were open to the public and planting of
apple trees in their new orchard took place. There was also a display of different
varieties of apple grown on these historic allotments.
Click here for photographs
The historic Edgbaston Guinea Gardens are the home of many old apple and
pear trees. Laid out from 1844 they are listed on the Register of Historic
Landscapes. Some of the existing trees date from Edwardian times and
therefore there are several examples of traditional varieties that are no
longer widely grown. BTFL thought that it was important that these trees
should be celebrated. Therefore fruit from about 60 trees was collected
before the Apple Day and half of them positively identified. Several
traditional varieties were found, including two very old ones. Several
of the varieties found have long been connected with the ‘marcher
counties’ of the English/Welsh border. The trees will be labelled with
botanical labels to help celebrate and protect these trees.
A new orchard of 14 apple trees has been created out of a derelict plot
and the first trees were ceremonially planted on Apple Day. Restoring
the site over the previous year took effort from many volunteers. Part of
the plot is now being cultivated by the local school and there are plans
to restore the old war-time bothy on the site. Apple trees have also
been given out to 19 plotholders for planting on the site so that the
traditional character of the site can be maintained.
Click here for photographs
To celebrate 90 years of service to the City, the Civic Society chose
a magnificent birch tree to be planted in the City Centre Gardens close
to Baskerville House. The tree was planted in May 2008 by staff from
Birmingham Parks and Nurseries who look after the park. On hand to
help were Freddie Gick, Chairman of the Civic Society and Sue Griffith
BTFL. A ceremony will be held in July 2008.
Local people have been working very hard to achieve the designation
of this area of Rubery Lane, Frankley as a Local Nature Reserve.
On 29th February 2008 the Friends of Balhams Wood planted 15 oak
trees along the boundary of the nature reserve along Ormond Road,
off Rubery Lane in order to create a visible boundary to the reserve to
increase awareness of the importance of the ancient oak woodland.
The City Council’s Ranger Service and the Constituency Parks Manager,
Joe Hayden were on hand to help and Birmingham Parks and Nurseries
undertook the hard work. About 15 of the Friends helped to plant the trees
and the local MP Richard Burden also took part in the event – he spoke
about the importance of trees to the local community. Also involved were
the local City Councillors, the Constituency Parks Manager and the local
community police officers.
It was a frosty day on the 19th February when children from Brookvale
Junior and Infant School planted the 9 beech trees in the park near their
school. Although Service Team had dug the large holes needed for the
semi-mature beech trees, the children got stuck in with spades to complete
the job. They were helped by a teacher, the Constituency Parks Manger
John Biddle and the local City Councillor Cllr Penny Holbrook.
Click here for photographs
The Friends of Cannon Hill created the Willow Archway Project. This involved
the use of 50 established willows to create the willow tunnel at the entrance to
Queen Mother’s Woodland. Also purchased were 50 willow withies to establish
a willow bed for cultivation and annual cutting. The site of the tunnel is off the
Rea Valley Walkway near Holders Lane. The Queen Mother’s Woodland is a
natural woodland between allotments and the River Rea. The Willow Archway
entrance leads to paths through the woodland, crossing a stream. A Willow Craft
Worker was employed for weaving sessions with schools. The willows grown
will be used in the future to create willow sculptures.
Click here for photographs
On Saturday 8th March fifteen Friends of Highbury Park, a dozen local residents
and the Constituency Parks Manager Sue Amey, braved the strong winds to celebrate
the planting of 17 trees. Although most of the trees had been planted by the local Service
Team/Veolia grounds maintenance team, the Friends got down to work and dug the holes
for the remaining three trees. One of these was planted by the western entrance to the Park
near Shutlock Lane where the ground is wet – the Black Poplar will be happy in the wet
conditions. Another was planted on higher ground in the park – a Small Leaved Lime.
The majority of the trees, including oak and beech, had been planted by the contractors to
line the road to the car park from Shutlock Lane - these have filled in some gaps left where
old trees have died. After the planting, teas and cake were very welcome in the shelter of
the marquee.
The site is part of the River Rea corridor – the planting scheme involved the clearance
of the riverbank of scrub followed by the replanting with 600 oak and hazel whips
(saplings) to create an area where future management by coppicing will sustain the
green corridor through the local nature reserve. In the area close to Wychall Lane,
several gaps in the boundary were filled with 20 oak trees to improve site security.
A core group of active volunteers from the local community have been trained in
conservation activities and they undertook the planting. This long established and
active group of residents run regular open days, open to all. The trees will be looked
after in the future as part of the management plan for the site.
This is a new country park and the Friends Group is just getting established. Bishop
Walsh School lies at the south western end of this country park and three pupils from
the school helped to plant one of the 12 large oak trees that were planted along the
cycle path leading from Wylde Green Car Park.
The nature reserve consists of grasslands, wetlands and playing fields for use of the
whole community. It is managed by the Friends and Rangers of Kingfisher Country Park.
The planting was an extension of an existing woodland which has a high visual impact as
it is close to a school, road and cycle path. The site was at Gressel Lane, Tile Cross. A total
of 500 mixed broadleaved young trees were planted – species included oak, silver birch,
hazel, hawthorn, ash and rowan. The trees were planted by local school children and the
Kingfisher Junior Rangers supervised by the Ranger, Leo McKevitt. A planting was also
arranged for the regular conservation and friends groups. The events were successful in
increasing awareness of the nature reserve within the local community.
Click here for photographs
Two schools, one from each side of the park braved gale force winds to help plant an
avenue of 20 trees on 12th March. There was bright sunshine and fortunately the rain
stayed away. The local Ranger, Debbie Needle told the children about the maples that
were being planted – they will have dark red leaves in the autumn (Acer platenoides
rubra). The Constituency Parks Manager Lee Southall, was also on hand to help. The
Victorian Park has many mature trees and some had had to be cut down as they
were getting too old, so the chance to plant a new avenue was very timely. Children
from Barford Road School entered the park from the east and those from City Road
J&I walked from the west. Therefore they helped plant the trees on ‘their’ side of the
avenue. However before the planting started they wished the trees ‘belonging’ to the
other school good luck! After the planting the local city councillor Cllr Chaman Lal
handed out a ‘I’ve planted a tree in Birmingham’ badge to every child.
Click here for photographs
At the Community Garden, seven apple trees were planted along the edge of the
garden by children from the seven schools that are involved in the Garden.
The Garden was created from rough ground by the Friends of Ward End Park to
introduce local school children to growing vegetables. The Garden was funded
through a variety of sources. The planting of the apple trees was one of the first
activities that the children were involved in and it helped stimulate their interest
in the idea of gardening. The Garden was opened by the Lord Mayor Cllr Randall
Brew on 25th April and there were some very proud children at the event. Also at
the opening were several Friends of Ward End Park, the Constituency Director
Rob James, the Constituency Parks Manager Mike Wheale and representatives
from BTFL. Each of the schools taking part were presented with a certificated by
the Lord Mayor to mark the occasion. This project is an innovative venture in an
area where gardening may be a new idea to many of the children. It will help them
to learn about where their food and their apples, come from.
Click here for photographs
Although conker trees sometimes get a bad press, school children from Christ the
King School and Warren Farm School were delighted to help plant three new
conker trees near their schools in Kingstanding. Parks Manager John Biddle and
Chris Poole, Neighbourhood Co-ordinator were on hand to help and Alison Holmes
and Jean Douglas from the Youth Inclusion Project also enjoyed the event on
Thursday 21st February.
Click here for photographs
Millennium Greens were created in the year 2000 as new areas of open space to be `
used and managed by local people through trusts. This site in Acocks Green is a former
allotment site adjacent to The Avenue. It has a woodland with old trees that need
replacing, a wetland and grassland as well as the millennium tree planting area.
An area in the middle of the site has been planted with silver birch and rowans – it is
at the crossroad of pathways and was being encroached by brambles. Cottesbrooke J&I
School use the site regularly – educational packages about the wildlife on the site have
been developed.
Sutton Park was the venue of the 9th World Scout Jamboree in 1957. This Jubilee Jamboree
celebrated Scouting's 50th anniversary and an obelisk was erected to commemorate this
anniversary of Scouting. Therefore in 2007 Sutton Park was the venue for scouts to celebrate
the 50th Anniversary of the 1957 Jamboree. BTFL suggested that tree planting would be a good
way to celebrate and a few months later, 56 English Oaks were planted by scouts to create a
Jamboree Avenue. Birmingham and Sutton Scout Association were involved in the planting
with funds supplied by the Sutton Constituency of Birmingham City Council.
BTFL supported the CSV Environment project which provides primary schools with a very
large tulip tree with seating to provide children with a shady space to read at playtime.
At the same time sessions on the importance of trees are taught by CSV and the children
take part in the planting ceremony. This unique project has a great impact on the children
of inner city schools – lucky schools this year were Holy Family R.C. Primary School,
Blakesley Hall Primary School and Oldknow Junior School.
Click here for photographs
Download a full report here
The late Marion Williams loved trees and after she passed away, her family found a unique
way of creating a long lasting memorial in the area where she lived and travelled daily on
her way to the school where she worked. Six large semi-mature trees were planted by family
and friends in Pype Hayes Park in February 2008.
| Project | Semi Mature Trees | Apple Trees | Whips | Adults involved | School children involved |
| Corporate Tree Planting Day | 50 | 100 | |||
| Plant a Tree for Life Community Tree Planting Day | 200 | 50 | 30 | ||
| Apple Day at the Botanical Gardens | 3 | 1,000 | 50 | ||
| Heritage Apple Project at Edgbaston Guinea Gardens | 30 | 30 | |||
| Civic Society 90th Birthday City Centre GardensTree | 1 | 10 | |||
| Balhams Wood Nature Reserve | 15 | 20 | 2 | ||
| Brookvale Park | 9 | 5 | 30 | ||
| Cannon Hill Park | 100 | 30 | 30 | ||
| Highbury Park | 17 | 20 | 8 | ||
| Kings Norton Nature Reserve | 20 | 600 | |||
| Newhall Valley Country Park | 12 | 5 | 10 | ||
| Norman Chamberlain Local Nature Reserve | 500 | 35 | |||
| Summerfield Park | 20 | 10 | 60 | ||
| Ward End Park | 7 | 20 | 200 | ||
| Warren Farm Road - Conker Island | 3 | 5 | 20 | ||
| Westley Vale Millennium Green | 100 | 15 | 10 | ||
| Jamboree Avenue, Sutton Park | 56 | 20 | 60 | ||
| Reading Trees | 3 | 15 | 100 | ||
| The Erdington Bequest | 6 | 10 | |||
| Total | 212 | 40 | 1500 | 1400 | 610 |
Cotteridge Community Orchard
Reading Trees
The Radleys
Championship Woodland
Grove Park
Ward End Park
Manor Farm Park
Farm Park
Perry Park
On Friday 27th October 2006 the first apple tree was planted at Cotteridge Community Orchard.
The day marked the beginning of the final stage in the transformation of a rough patch of neglected
land adjacent to Cotteridge Park into a real orchard for local people to enjoy.
Although the local community had worked hard over the last few years to raise funds to buy the land
and clear it of rubbish and brambles, they were not able to foresee how they could acquire their apple trees.
However in July 2006 the Birmingham Civic Society and the City Council formed a new partnership
committed to spreading the message that trees do matter. So with financial help from this new project,
a partnership was formed with a Worcestershire fruit tree grower Nick Dunn of Frank P Matthews Ltd.
He helped the Friends of Cotteridge Park to select the best varieties from the wide range of modern
and heritage varieties that he cultivates at his tree nursery. Nick’s grandfather raised the apple trees
that were planted in gardens when the Bournville Estate was laid out in the 1900s, so he is now carrying
on a family tradition of bringing the countryside to town.
The aim of the project was to create a community orchard, which will be a focus for work
with local people and local schools to look at growing, harvesting, cooking and eating
good food. The site for the orchard adjacent to Cotteridge Park was once railway
allotments, but the allotments were abandoned and the site became overgrown.
Local people waited some time to be able to buy the land - they raised nearly
£4,000 by donations, carol singing and selling home-made Christmas cards.
Following a very generous donation of £3,000 from the Midlands Co-operative
Society the Friends of the park were able to buy the site.
The Importance of Orchards
Orchards were once widespread throughout the British Isles and until recently every farm,
country house and suburban garden had its own collection of fruit trees. In Birmingham,
when the Bournville Estate was laid out by the Cadbury’s in the 1900s, every garden
was planted with fruit trees and there was even a company orchard to ensure that every
member of staff had ‘an apple a day’. However, pressure on land and the importation of
cheap fruit from abroad has caused the loss of many of these small orchards. Apples are now
mostly bought in plastic bags, perfectly shaped and coloured from supermarkets, but taste
and variety and local production may have been forfeited.
However there is now resurgence in the interest in orchards and apples. Organisations such
as Common Ground are campaigning to remind us of the importance of orchards. This
organisation is well known for linking nature with culture, focussing upon the positive
investment people can make in their own localities, championing popular involvement, and
by inspiring celebration as a starting point for action to improve the quality of our everyday places.
In an urban context, orchards provide places for quiet contemplation or local festivities, a reservoir
of local varieties of fruit and a refuge for wild life. They can teach children that apples do grow on
trees and can taste delicious! In many cities, Farmers Markets are bringing back the concept of
local food and promoting fresh ‘home grown’ organic produce - in Birmingham, Farmers Markets
are increasingly popular. The old phrase ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is now being
backed up by research that shows that apples may have many health giving qualities and children
benefit enormously from eating them.
National Apple Day
In October every year, Common Ground co-ordinates an annual celebration of the apple,
orchards and local distinctiveness. This celebration was initiated in 1990 it has since been
celebrated each year by people organising hundreds of local events. All over the country
around the 21st October, people gather together to celebrate the diversity of the apple and
its many uses and qualities.
Birmingham Apple Day 2006
More than 50 different varieties of apple were available for tasting at the orchard. Local children
tasted red, green and yellow apples of all different shapes and sizes with such wonderful names
as Lord Derby, Broadholme Beauty, Yellow Ingestre, Hereford Russet, Edward VII, Golden Knob,
Laxton's Fortune.
There was apple juice to drink, apple bobbing and a nature treasure hunt.
The first three apple trees were brought from Worcestershire by Nick Dunn and were
planted in the orchard in the afternoon.
Emma Woolf and Simon Cooper discussing which apple varieties to bring to Birmingham
with Nick Dunn.
Officers of the Civic Society, local Councillors, parents and friends joined in the Apple Day
and were on hand to drive home the message that trees and apple trees are essential to
health and our quality of life!
Completion of the Orchard
In the following February, the planting of the orchard was completed. Local volunteers
helped Nick Dunn and his team plant nearly 30 young apple trees. To ensure a good
start, they were staked and had netting put around their stems to prevent rabbits from
eating them!
To the surprise of the Friends of Cotteridge Park, several of the young trees came into
blossom in the springtime!
One of the aims of Birmingham Trees for Life is ‘to encourage the involvement of everyone,
especially young people in tree planting to stimulate their care for the environment’.
The Reading Trees project gave more than 150 Birmingham school children the opportunity,
not just to plant a tree in their school grounds, but to learn about the importance of trees to the
environment. However the five trees they planted were no ordinary trees – they were Tulip
Trees which not only have creamy white and yellow flowers like tulips in June, but also a
generous canopy of leaves to cast shade in the playground. A hexagonal recycled plastic
bench around the tree provided the perfect place for children to read about trees.
The project was a result of a partnership between the voluntary organisation Community
Service Volunteers, the Civic Society, the Council and business and was therefore an
excellent example of the aims of Birmingham Trees for Life.
 for Leisure, Sport and Culture BCC |
 Sue Griffith Trees Committee |
 Viv Astling Trees Committee |
.jpg) Dave Mullhall Central Trees |
 Mike Williams CSV Environment |
 Freddie Gick Birmingham Civic Society |
 Geoff Cole Trees Committee |
 Mike Williams and Ruth Wilson from CSV Environment |
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how to look after their tree and encouraging writing stories and poems about trees - the City
Library Service lent books about the importance of the environment. The large magnificent
Tulip Trees were grown by the specialist suppliers Hillier Nurseries and carefully transported
by them on a large lorry from Hampshire into the inner city. The local firm of tree surgeons,
Central Trees generously paid for all five trees and they will keep an eye on them over the
next few years.
At the planting ceremonies in March representatives from all those involved attended,
including the Cabinet Member for Leisure who provides much of the funding for Birmingham
Trees for Life, together with local ward Members. As the school children read out their poems
in praise of trees and hung their laminated stories onto the lower branches of ‘their’ tree, there
were a few moist eyes amongst the group. As the children took it in turns to put a spadeful of
earth into the planting hole, it was obvious that handling soil and a spade was a new but
exciting experience for many of them.
Heritage trees can be a vital link with the history of the City and planting new trees for the
next generation to enjoy is not only an important investment, but is great fun too!
If you would like to read more about the project and find out more about the schools involved,
please click here. If you would like to see examples of the childrens art and poems, please click here.
The following schools took part in the Reading Tree Project in 2007:
Wattville Primary School , Brookfields Primary School ,Starbank Primary School,
St Bernadette's RC Primary School , Clifton Primary School.
The planting of trees has an important symbolic role in the fight against climate change
and we were delighted when Birmingham International Airport asked Birmingham Trees
for Life to be their partners in a tree-planting scheme in March 2007 at Radley’s Park,
Sheldon. Members of the Trees Committee joined pupils from Elms Farm Primary School,
local Councillor Sue Anderson and BIA’s community team to plant over 40 trees – some
semi-mature ones and some to extend the woodland.
Jack Wilson, Head of Community and Environment at BIA commented on the initiative:
“The airport has agreed, in principle to operate a carbon dioxide offsetting scheme and
has identified tree planting as one of the ways to do this. We are conscious of the impact
we have on the environment and our local community and this is just one way we can
give something back”.
The local park manager Mike Wheale gave the pupils a lesson in why trees are important
for the environment before they received their certificate and made tree badges to take home.
 Children from the Elms Farm Primary school with local Councillor Sue Anderson and Members of the Trees Committee and representatives from Birmingham International Airport. |
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At the beginning of March 2007, Birmingham hosted the 29th European Athletics Indoor
Championships at the National Indoor Arena, with 600 competitors from 50 countries
participating, and a massive media entourage reporting throughout the world on the
event and the City. The stadium was a virtual sell-out for the whole event, which was
worth over £3 million to the economy of Birmingham and the region. After organising
many previous successful events, the “Birmingham Team” again triumphed, staging
what the President of European Athletics, Hansjorg Wirz, described as “simply the
best ever Indoor Championships”.
The event was staged under the direction of the Local Organising Committee,
chaired by Councillor Ray Hassall, Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member
for Leisure, Sport and Culture.
The Committee, along with one of the event’s main sponsors, Spar UK, wanted to
leave a green legacy from the Championships and approached Birmingham Trees
for Life to arrange a suitable tree planting event with links to athletics and involving
local children. It was agreed that 50 trees would be planted, one for each country
participating in the Championships, and English Oaks were chosen as a suitable
species, being the national tree of England. Perry Park, to the rear of the new
National Athletics High Performance Training Centre was chosen as the planting
venue, adjacent to the Alexander Stadium, spiritual home of athletics in the City
and the home of Birchfield Harriers, who have trained so many of the countries
top athletes. Hilliers Nurseries, one of the countries top tree nurseries, supplied
the trees.
Spar International and Spar UK are major sponsors of athletics and one of the
main sponsors of the Indoor Championships. The company celebrated its 50th
Anniversary in 2007 and the planting ceremony was used to commemorate their
anniversary as well as the Championships. A number of their senior executives
joined children from Calshot Primary School, Great Barr, Birmingham Park Ranger
service staff, Glendale Grounds Maintenance contractors, local Park Keepers,
Senior and local City Councillors, staff from Alexander Stadium, representatives
from Birmingham Trees for Life and the guest of honour, former triple jump World
Record holder, Ashia Hansen, on the morning of 27 February 2007 to plant the trees,
which will be known as the Spar Championship Woodland.
The children all met Ashia, well and truly planted the trees as only children can, got
very muddy, loved every minute and all left with a “goody bag” from Spar.
As well as the Championship Woodland, Spar also donated and planted a superb
specimen weeping cedar tree, Cedrus Deodara, at a ceremony in City Centre Gardens
to mark their 50th Anniversary. The tree, which closely resembles the evergreen tree
featured in Spar’s logo, should in time make a superb specimen right in the heart of
the City, just 100 metres away from the National Indoor Arena.
As thoughts move on to London 2012 and the Olympic Games, we all hope our “legacy trees”
flourish and add to the City’s green environment as a lasting reminder of the successful 2007
Championships here in Birmingham
Geoff Cole
Trees Committee Member.
The Trees Committee celebrated National Tree Week 2006 by planting 30 semi-mature
trees in Grove Park, Harborne on Saturday 25th November, despite the threat of storm
force winds and heavy rain. Young people from the local schools needed their wellington
boots as they shovelled in the soil, planted bulbs and firmed in the trees. More than one
went home rather muddy, but they all had big grins on their faces.
As they went home, they took away posters showing the different types of trees, including
the oaks and the beeches that they helped plant and an acorn newly planted in a pot.
Not only did the event encourage young people living close by to get involved in
understanding more about trees, but also rekindled memories of the history of the
park amongst the older generation. Several people came to the event who had
known the park and its beautiful trees long ago. Also celebrated is the magnificent
Cedar of Lebanon tree thought to be about 200 years old. Other trees, such as a
Tulip Tree, were planted in Victorian times by the Kenrick family who lived at the
Grove from 1877 to 1962 when the house was demolished.
Both Anne Kenrick, wife of the late Hugh Kenrick and her son John took part in
the tree planting, despite the muddy conditions underfoot. John said that his
grandfather, Byng Kenrick would have approved of the Birmingham Trees for Life project.
The new trees will help increase the biodiversity of the park – next autumn the new park
keeper will be involving schools in planting native bulbs to naturalise in the grass around the trees.
In November 2006, during National Tree Planting Week, children from Nansen Road School,
Sladefield Infant School and Thornton Road Infant School gathered in Ward End Park to help
plant 30 trees to replace those that had been blown down during the winter of 2006 or had had
to be cut down because they were too old and diseased. On arrival they were met by Guy Dixon
of Community Services Volunteers (CSV) who told them about the importance of planting trees
and how they should be looked after, involving them in a ‘question and answer’ session in which
they proved not only to be interested in but also very knowledgeable.
The group of enthusiastic youngsters were accompanied by their teachers, local councillor Ansar
Ali Khan, Councillor Ray Hassall the City Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture,
Hodge Hill Director Rob James and Constituency Parks Manager Mike Wheale.
Included in the day were members of T.S. Dolphin the Sea Cadets who have their base in Ward
End Park.
The tree planting began with the important step of explaining how trees are planted.
The hard work of digging a hole for one of the large trees had already been done! The 30 trees
were of different types – all of them native species: there were beech, scots pine hawthorn,
alder and ash trees.
The hard work of actually planting the large trees fell to the City Council grounds maintenance
contractors who look after the site - Service Team. They not only dug the holes and lifted the heavy trees
into them and provided spades for everyone to help finish off the planting, but also provided drinks!
As there were 30 trees to plant, everyone got the chance to help out and even the ‘grown ups’
enjoyed the afternoon.
After the tree planting, the children were given the opportunity to plant acorns in pots assisted by
Leo McKevitt and Jan Tomlinson from the Kingfisher Ranger Service. It is hoped that the acorns
will grow into trees to be planted out in the future.
In February 2007, children from Northfield Manor School braved the cold weather to plant 20
oak trees at Manor Farm Park. The site chosen in the park was alongside Whitehill Lane where
in 2000 a Millennium Woodland was planted by local people. Those travelling up and down
Whitehill Lane see this site regularly and it is hoped the wood will form an important part of
the linked open spaces in this area.
The Friends of Manor Farm Park were also involved. They had looked at the whole park and
recommended where the trees might be planted and they came and talked to the children on
planting day. In particular, local resident Tony Sames, who has been involved in environmental
education in the City for many years, spent time explaining about trees and their importance
to the environment:
 The children seemed pleased with the results of their efforts |
 Everyone helps out. |
 The local City Council Members were also involved and were encouraged to ‘get their hands dirty’ and not just stand and watch. |
 However it was the children that were the busiest during the afternoon. |
Farm Park off Sampson Road, Sparkhill is an important green space in a densely built up area.
In the nineteenth century Farm Park was the grounds of the Lloyds Family who started the
Lloyds Bank. The most interesting trees in this historic park are the avenue of mostly planes
and limes leading to the neighbouring church which was the family chapel. In the summer of
2005, the tornado caused a great deal of damage to the church and about 80 trees.
The church has been demolished but the avenue of trees is being replanted.
At the end of February 2007, local people and children from Conway Junior and Infant School
gathered to plant 30 semi-mature trees. The local Parks Manager Sue Amey had chosen
maples, cherries, whitebeams, rowans and lime trees. The school children were invited to
help plant the trees, making sure that the soil was carefully put around the roots of ‘their’ trees.
The trees replanted were chosen to replace those lost and to add ornamental interest.
The opinions of the local residents were sought about what sort of trees local people wanted.
Much is being done at the moment to stimulate interest in the park amongst the local community
and ‘Sure Start’ had a family fun day event planned which coincided with this event to encourage
residents and parents participation.
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At the end of February 2006, children from Dorrington Road school gathered at Perry
Hall Park to plant thirty trees.
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