Members of ‘Chew Valley Plants Trees’ Steering Group recently met at Great Avon Wood with some key players in ‘Avon Needs Trees’ to discuss shared values and visions for the year ahead.

The first task was to offer practical support as Vicki Cracknell (Outreach Coordinator, ANT) explains: “It’s a very exciting time for us at Great Avon Wood. We took delivery of 9,000 bare root saplings in November and the first task was to “heel” them in. This is where we plant them temporarily so that the roots don’t dry out. Thankfully we had the help of Chew Valley Plants Trees who did an amazing job digging trenches for the trees and carefully covering the roots, checking there were no air pockets.

“As well as the trees, we have been checking our tools and stocking up on mulch mats which will keep the grass down in the spring and summer. On the 9th of December we held onsite training for our Volunteer Leaders: a team of amazing people who lead our planting days and make sure that all the volunteers have suitable training and enjoy their time with us”.

The Chew Valley Plants Trees team are always happy to put spade to earth for the sake of trees and planet, and with eight of the Steering group present we soon made light work of it. It is this sort of practical collaboration that both organisations are committed to taking forward.

The creation of Great Avon Wood, under the careful stewardship of Avon Needs Trees, is an amazing opportunity for local people to get directly involved in a project to mitigate the impact of climate change, with the extra privilege of watching the trees grow and enjoying nature rich woodland and meadows. Whether you are keen to plant trees over the winter season or enjoy spending time in nature in the warmer months when you can provide follow up care for young trees, Vicki is keen to hear from you: “We are really looking forward to welcoming people from the Chew Valley to help us plant Great Avon Wood”.

Find out more, watch a short video and register as a volunteer with ANT on their website https://avonneedstrees.org.uk/gaw or ring 07709 086434. If you would like to become a member of the Chew Valley Plants Trees Steering Group please contact [email protected]