Children from Marsden Infant & Nursery School have been helping to plant trees with the National Trust rangers as part of a new woodland scheme.
Despite the driving rain, children from the reception class took part in a tree planting day on Marsden Moor.
Bundled up in layers of wet weather clothing, the four and five-year-olds helped rangers and other National Trust staff to dig holes and gently plant two-year-old saplings, known as ‘whips.’ They enthusiastically pressed the soil down with their wellies before attaching tree tubes.
These trees are among 65,000 being planted on the moor edge as part of Landscapes for Water, the Trust’s major partnership programme with Yorkshire Water, which is planting new native woodland to protect wildlife and mitigate the effects of climate change.
After planting, the children accompanied staff back to the National Trust offices where they got a chance to learn more about the moor with senior volunteer and community officer for West Yorkshire, Emily Ghassempour.
Emily introduced them to new mascots Bonnie the Lapwing and Poppy the Curlew, who have been made by National Trust volunteers, and explained about the importance of the moor for ground-nesting birds like Bonnie and Poppy.
Emily said: “Introducing young children to the concepts of moorland conservation is vitally important – after all, they will be the adults of the future.
“It’s so important that they understand why we must look after the landscape in Marsden, for them and for all of us.”
For more on the Landscapes for Water project see: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/marsden-moor/landscapes-for-water-restoring-the-south-pennines
