This project originated from a discussion on climate change with Butterton Parish Council and led to MCA members Hannah Grimsey and Wendy Bohme initiating and running the Manifold Tree Planting project. They were aware that there are tree planting opportunities for those who have large areas of land, but that there are many people in the Manifold Valley who are not land-owners, but who would like to plant trees in their own gardens or smaller areas of land. The project aims to bring these people together, moving action from the individual to the community.
An emphasis on planting “the right tree in the right place” and helping people decide which native trees to plant, where they would have the most beneficial climate and biodiversity impacts, was central to the project. Funding was received from Staffordshire Moorlands District Council Community Climate and Nature Action...
Members of MCA’s Nature Group ran a stall at Butterton Wakes in August, 2022. The response from the local community was very positive and people who showed an interest were encouraged to sign up to planting native trees of their choice. As a result, 144 native trees were ordered and bought from The Woodland Trust as these trees are certified disease free. Participants were invited to attend an event later in the year to collect their trees.
The next event was hosted by Hannah in November at The Black Lion pub in Butterton. Much work had been done to organise the collection of the whips, ensuring people got the right trees, marked their planned planting on an OS map and collected cardboard guards and stakes. It was a delightful community event and the success of the project this year has encouraged Hannah and Wendy to continue with similar nature-based local projects in the future.