Children at Naburn Primary plant 300-tree ‘future forest’

The youngsters from Naburn Primary snatched up their spades to plant more than 300 young trees in a field a five minute walk from the school – with a little help from their teachers, parents and school governors.

Chair of governors Anne Clark said the idea of the ‘future forest’ was to give children the chance to learn about nature and the environment – and to get some healthy exercise and fresh air.

They’ve been allowed to use a field at the end of Vicarage Lane owned by Nick Lee, who Anne described as a ‘huge advocate for the school and outdoor learning’.

The children spend some time in the field most weeks, Anne said.

Naburn Primary children getting to work to plant 300 trees in a field near their school to create a ‘future forest’ (Image: Kate Durham)

The tree-planting excursion on February 2 was the second time the children had planted trees there, she added.

“We planted about 100 fruit trees pre-Covid, so this was the second round,” she said.

This time the youngsters planted a range of pollinating tree species – including crab apple, blackthorn, rowan, and alder – designed to give a boost to bees and other pollinating insects.

The also planted hawthorn, silver birch, dogwood and elder to encourage wildlife by providing habitats and forage for a range of species.

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The young trees were donated by the charity I Dig Trees, which is encouraging local communities to tackle climate change with carbon-busting trees, create havens for wildlife, and green up local environments for future generations to enjoy.

Before planting, the children learned how to plant a tree so as to give it the best chance of survival – and also about the benefits of the different varieties of trees and the habitats they create.

Before planting young trees, children from Naburn Primary learned about the best way to plant – and the habitats the trees would create (Image: Kate Durham)

Head of School at Naburn Kate Durham said: “This was people planting power at its very best!

“We had a lovely morning and we are very proud of our efforts to contribute to creating environments that allow both people and nature to flourish in our communities.”

In 2022, Naburn Primary celebrated its 150th anniversary – and many children came to the school dressed in Victorian costume.

In 2022, children came to Naburn Primary dressed in Victorian costume to celebrate the school’s 150th anniversary (Image: Supplied)

In recent years, the school was threatened with closure, partly because of falling pupil numbers.

But, following a concerted effort by headteacher Jonathan Green and his staff to turn things around – and after the whole village had rallied round to support the school – that threat was lifted when Naburn was last year accepted as part of the TEAL (Education Alliance from the East Riding) academy chain.