VOLUNTEERS are helping to plant 3,000 trees in Wellington as part of an ambitious project.
Wellington Town Council is working with The Woodland Trust to create new areas of woodland for leisure and wildlife in the town.
The project will see thousands of trees and shrubs planted in a 64-acre area of land known as The Green Corridor as part of the Trust’s Woodland Creation Scheme.
The town council said this is a “huge” project for the town that promises to be impactful for years to come as the trees planted by the community grow and flourish.
The area of land stretches from Fox’s Field at Tonedale Mill through to The Basins and then over to Rockwell Green and Hilly Head and, when the railway crossing is open, links in to the field off Linden Hill that the town council purchased in 2022, which then links the land to Westford, bringing the total land area of the Green Corridor to 66 acres.
A town council spokesperson said “We are delighted to have been able to work with The Woodland Trust and partners from the community on the Green Corridor scheme and are grateful for all the work they have done to put it together.
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“This, and our own plans for tree planting over the coming years, places Wellington at the forefront of both national and local strategies for improving tree coverage.
“They will enhance biodiversity throughout the town and contribute to delivering our climate change strategy as well as simply making our living environment even more special.”
Volunteers needed
Volunteers are now needed to help continue the project, with the next planting day taking place from 10am this Friday, January 31.
Signage will be in place to guide people from The Basins to the planting site.
There will be five planting days in the first quarter of 2025, as well as several “Corporate Days” that have been arranged to allow employees of The Environment Agency and EDF
Energy from Hinkley Point C the opportunity to get involved in the scheme as part of their companies’ volunteering initiatives.
Volunteers are needed for the project Picture: Wellington Town Council
What’s being planted?
Two hectares of land throughout the Green Corridor will see a variety of native tree and shrub species planted, including English Oak, Alder, Beech, Crab Apple, Field Maple and Goat Willow.
A spokesperson for the town council said the Woodland Trust has developed a planting scheme that is designed to enhance what is already in place and protect other aspects of the area, such as views to Wellington Monument.
The Woodland Trust is providing 75% of the funding for the purchase of the trees, shrubs and guards.
The town council will pay £2,500 towards the purchase of the trees, shrubs and some fencing.
Vandalism
Some planting has already taken place for the project, with volunteers helping to plant 700 trees over two and a half days back in December.
Unfortunately, the town council says the majority of trees planted in the tiny forest behind Lillebonne Close have now either been vandalised or stolen.
Anyone with information about the vandalism at the tiny forest is asked to contact the police on 101 using reference RAC‐95J5K or to submit information via their website.
Management of the 64-acre land was taken over by the town council in January 2023, which has a 150-year lease from Somerset West and Taunton Council.
Much work has been undertaken in the past two years, from improving accessibility to working to create better habitats and corridors for wildlife.
The main paved route from The Basins to Rockwell Green was made fully accessible in autumn 2024 through the installation of a ramp on a bridge and by removing kissing gates at either end of the route.
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