Children and staff at Huddersfield-based Portland Nurseries Group are aiming to plant over 400 trees from the Woodland Trust to encourage more wildlife to the nursery grounds and encourage environmental awareness and education.
Children from two to four years old will help staff at six childcare settings plant a range of trees and bushes native to Britain including oak, beech, alder and birch, as well as a variety of hedgerows.
The hope is that the trees will encourage more wildlife to the areas which are home to many native species of birds and woodland animals including foxes and deer.
Portland Nurseries Group, which has achieved the Woodland Trust Platinum Tree Award for their conservation work, owns five nursery settings in Huddersfield: Bradley House Nursery (Bradley), Harlequin Nursery (Edgerton), Oakwood House & Forest School (Edgerton), Holly Bank Nursery (Birkby) and Portland House Nursery (Lindley); and one in Halifax: Fairfield Nursery (Shelf).
All sites in the group hold the National Eco Schools Green Flag award – their highest accolade acknowledging commitment to environmental awareness within nursery environments and the local community.
Managing director Michael Murphy said: “This is a significant undertaking and one we feel will have ecological as well as educational benefits.
“We take a forest school approach to education and are committed to providing safe and stimulating outdoor areas for our children so we take every opportunity we can to teach children about the natural world.”
