Over 1500 trees were planted by volunteer groups during the first week of March 2022.
The Canal and River Trust received funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery and commissioned Steven Lees from Land & Heritage consultants to work with volunteers in three areas on the Montgomery Canal.
The People’s Postcode Lottery has funded a number of projects aimed at helping CRT to build the waterways’ resistance to climate change, support biodiversity, reduce the Trust’s carbon footprint, and improve the usage of materials and waste management. The tree planting project, on the Monty as well as on other canals, is an important part of this initiative.
Ten members of TRAMPS landed at The Aston Nature Reserve on a cold and wet morning. The plan was to plant 835 trees in concentric rings to represent ripples around the dragonfly sculpture, radiating as far as the new bird hide. When established this should be an amazing attraction.
The weather on the next day was a complete contrast and a further 400 plants were heeled in by a gang of Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers. These hedging plants will provide a boundary at the base of the new towpath bank. The Shropshire Union Canal Society will be relining this stretch of the canal later this year so the planting was just in time.
Finally, another 400 trees were put in by the Friday Group volunteers near Shropshire Paddle Sports headquarters at Queens Head, near Oswestry.
This is just the start. If this planting is to be successful they will need weeding and pruning – who will do this…? Volunteers always welcome, get in touch!