Over the weekend, 120 new saplings were planted to create a hedge on the school site. As part of the school’s Pollinator Project, funded by the West of England Combined Authority’s Community Pollinator Fund and with generous tree donations from Co-forest, parents, students, and teachers united to plant the saplings and protect them as they grow with guards and stakes. This collective effort aimed not only to beautify the school grounds but also to foster biodiversity and ecological learning opportunities.
The new hedge is made up of a mixture of native species, including hawthorn, field maple, hornbeam, beech and hazel. Planting a range of species allows the hedge to provide a haven for pollinators crucial to our planet’s health, and will give students an opportunity to learn tree identification on site.
Additionally, as the hedge matures, it will gradually muffle noise from the school, offering a quieter environment for residents of neighbouring houses.
This tree planting event was part of a series of events undertaken through our Shoscombe Pollinator Project – a programme of activity aiming to increase habitat at the school for pollinators while also teaching the children, their families and the wider community about the need to increase local biodiversity and how this can be achieved.
Look out for more opportunities coming up soon, including a new gardening club launching for school children after February half term, and a Spring Pollinator Festival on Saturday 27 April (save the date!).
