Schoolchildren create temperate rainforest in St Columb Major

A temperate rainforest created by schoolchildren in Cornwall has been officially opened to coincide with national tree week.

About 2,000 trees have been planted around the perimeter of the school field at St Columb Major Academy.

Every pupil was involved in the project, with students planting three or four trees each.

Emma Vyvyan, acting head teacher, said the children were really proud to "have created a new habitat".

To create the rainforest, the school worked with SUGi, a charitable organisation that plants community woodlands.

Their approach involves creating denser and more biodiverse plantations.

They used a regeneration technique known as the Miyawaki method whereby only species of trees that would occur naturally in the area are used.

James Godfrey-Faussett, a project officer from SUGi, said: "What has been planted would have once grown abundantly in this coastal area."

He added the children embraced the concept and they "are the forest guardians for now and the future generations."

In 10 years the trees, which include sessile oak, English oak, downy and silver birch. are expected to grow up to 8m (26ft) tall.

The children have named the plantation Koswik Law, which means "rainforest" in Cornish.

Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, sent a message to the school saying: "You are setting an inspiring example to everyone."

He added: "This is a grand thing which, if everyone did, it would heal the planet."

National Tree Week runs from 27 November to 5 December.

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