Communities from across Merseyside and Cheshire have been braving the winter chill to take part in tree planting sessions, helping lock up carbon from the atmosphere and make our region greener.

The Mersey Forest is delivering its community tree planting programme with the help of a £25,500 Foundation grant. As well as saving over 20 tonnes of CO2 each year the programme will encourage habitat creation, reduce air pollution and get communities working together. By the end of this season, over 7000 trees will have been planted at 18 school and community sites!

On a crisp and sunny February afternoon, Foundation’s Nicola Frost dragged her wellies out of storage to take part in one of the season’s final planting sessions at Norwood Primary School in Southport. She joined excited Year 3 pupils in adding carefully chosen species to existing woodland which the children will look after as part of their Forest School activities. It was thirsty work, but after two hours of planting lead by Jo Sayers of the Mersey Forest, a new coppice area of willow, hazel and dogwood was created and the woodland border looked brighter thanks to the addition of some colourful broom.

Jo said: “The funds Foundation has provided will make a real difference – by improving the structure of the woodland, the new planting will not only add interest visually but will create a sustainable resource the school can utilise for years to come.”

Nicola said: “It was great to see one of the projects we’ve supported in action. The children and teachers were so enthusiastic and the new trees will help towards reducing the region’s carbon footprint.”