Rugby club gives trees a try
Pic by Emma Shotton.
THOUSANDS of trees are being planted around the home of Darlington Rugby Club to help green the sports ground for generations to come.
Blackwell Meadows, in Grange Road, on the south of the town, which also hosts Darlington Football Club, is to benefit from more than 3,000 new trees being placed around practice field perimeters.
And the planting drive, led by the Darlington Forest Project, is expected to eventually help create a wildlife corridor linking up other surrounding green areas.
Roz Henderson, one of the founders of the Forest Project, joined volunteers and members of the rugby club in getting the planting of the 40cm-80cm saplings underway this month.
She is appealing for volunteers to help support with planting work, in what is the start of the tree-planting season.
She told Climate Post: “It’s great that the rugby club is doing this and we are looking forward to planting thousands of trees in the next few weeks that will, over the years, be of real benefit to the local environment.
“We’d like to thank the Tree Council for their contribution of £1,800, which has enabled us to carry out this project.”
Rugby Club president Andy Gunnell said: “We’re delighted to be doing our bit to help the environment of Darlington.
“This is a big area of land on the edge of town which will benefit, and not only will it help in terms of woodland, it will also help wildlife locally and provide food and shelter for animals and birds.”
Darlington RFC club captain Darren Hoare, speaking ahead of his side’s derby win over Bishop Auckland, said: “I think it’s a brilliant idea.
“As well as helping environmentally, it might also be handy for the sports club in a few years’ time too, with the trees growing and the area knitting together to provide natural wind-breaks around the pitches.”
- If you would like to volunteer to tree plant in the Darlington area, either individually, or with family members and friends, contact the Darlington Forest Project at: https://www.darlingtonforestproject.org.uk/contact/.
