Children dig in to plant new forest

Schoolchildren have helped to plant the latest phase of the Humber Forest.

More than 1,000 saplings were bedded in at Skidby Primary School and on farmland in Goole and Holderness.

It is hoped that they will be among up to 300,000 trees planted around the region by March next year.

Head teacher Stuart Richardson said: "We are providing our students with an opportunity to engage with the environment, learn about biodiversity and understand the importance of taking care of our planet."

He added: "The trees we’ve planted today will provide shade, improve air quality and offer a peaceful space for our students to learn and reflect well into the future."

Paul West, an East Riding of Yorkshire councillor, described it as a "wonderful project".

"It's great to see so many trees planted across the region," he said.

The Humber Forest team is working with more than 100 landowners across Hull, East Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, who are interested in planting trees on their land.

Projects include enhancing a golf course with more trees, creating an orchard for schools, and parkland-style planting on farms, in order to provide shade and shelter for animals.

Last year, about 238,000 trees were planted in the Humber region.

The project forms part of the 50 million-tree Northern Forest, which will stretch from Liverpool to the East Yorkshire coast.

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