Planting for wildlife, people and future generations

Speaker 1: So, I'm Fran and I am from St. Mark's Community Garden here in Liverpool. We started meeting about 20 weeks ago to create a wildlife friendly place for people and nature to enjoy.

I thought it was a great opportunity to bring the community together. We've already started a community garden here and so to plant loads of native tree species in the space benefits wildlife, benefits people, brings people together.

Using the trees, we've added to our calendar a few tree planting days which has brought more people in from the community into the space. A lot of those people who came in the garden from church have come in for the first time as well. So it's also inviting people from the church to come in and use the space. And so, it's just great to just welcome the community in. I felt like I was pushing it saying 30, but I think 
we've had more than 30 here today, which has been really encouraging.

So we chose three different packs to give the most diversity for wildlife and for interest as well. There's all different size packs. We went for the larger packs because we were doing edging, but there's smaller packs as well. They all look really healthy. They come well packed and on the day they said they would and they've been really helpful for us to plant so many trees for free as well. Something that we wouldn't have been able to afford to buy as a community group.

So short term it's helped bring the community together. Long term, planting a tree is something for future generations to enjoy as well isn't it? Some people have come and planted a tree in memory of someone which is lovely, for them to contribute to something that others will enjoy in the future.

Speaker 2: I want to plant a tree in memory of my loved ones. You know, there's all those people that we've loved and lost that we want to remember in all sorts of different ways. So I'll be able to follow its progress next spring and next year.

Any opportunity to get the community to get involved together in any form of activity is wonderful. But to be out in the fresh air and for something to be the beginnings of new life, how wonderful is that? That's really, really special.

Speaker 1: It's quite straightforward and easy to be honest. So if you've got a space and you've got permission to plant there, then why not!