With great enthusiasm and support from the whole community the planting of the new Godmanchester Community Wood finally started on December 4.

More than 800 trees and 420 hedge whips (single-stemmed plants with few side branches) were planted in an initiative led by the Great Ouse Valley Trust, Huntingdonshire District Council and Godmanchester-in-Bloom.

Many local families and individuals were joined by Cllr Ryan Fuller, executive leader of the District Council and Marge Beuttell, executive councillor for Operations and Environment, on a ‘plant a tree day’. The small tree whips were been supplied by the Woodland Trust as part of the national Queen’s Green Canopy project.

They are all native trees including oak, hazel, silver birch, rowan, hawthorn and blackthorn. In addition, a wild hedge is being planted.

Tree planting is great fun and so important for climate change and the loss of biodiversity. Following the successful planting event we were lucky to be able to welcome teachers and children from years 5 and 6 of the Community Academy to plant even more on the following Monday.

The children’s understanding and knowledge of trees in the environment, and their effect on climate change, was inspiring - and would surprise many adults.

Cambridgeshire is one of the least-wooded counties and we are all motivated to increase the tree canopy in the district. It’s wonderful for the whole community to be able to work with the District Council on this project, especially with the advice of Adrian Sargeant, the HDC arboriculture manager.’

The wood has yet to have a name. Suggestions so far include Gumcestre Wood, named after the old name for Godmanchester, and Merton Wood, named after the nearby site of Merton Priory. Please contact the Great Ouse Valley Trust www.greatousevalleytrust.org.uk, or on their Facebook page, to contribute your suggestion! Who knows, your name for the wood may live on for posterity.

The Great Ouse Valley Trust (GOVT) is a charity formed in October 2018 with the charitable objective ‘To promote for public benefit the conservation, restoration, and enjoyment of the landscape, wildlife and heritage of the Great Ouse Valley and environs in the county of Cambridgeshire.’

Members include local councils, the local Wildlife Trust, individuals and environmental groups.