Green-fingered pupils from Thelkeld C of E Primary School helped West Cumbria Rivers Trust plant over 200 trees, contributing to a natural flood management project in the area.
Over the course of three days just before the current lockdown, 52 children from Years 1-6 planted trees in a field near Blease Road car park in Threlkeld, where West Cumbria Rivers Trust is planting more than 1,100 trees in total. The field is being donated to charity Friends of the Lake District by the land owner and will become a community and publicly accessible space.
The tree-planting is part of a £735,000 natural flood management and catchment restoration project, installing a wide range of features at numerous sites across the River Glenderamackin catchment area from Mungrisdale to Keswick.
Cathy Gruba, Learning and Engagement Officer at West Cumbria Rivers Trust, said: “The pupils worked really hard and were so enthusiastic. With the site becoming a community space the children can keep visiting with their families to watch the trees grow. It’s always wonderful to see the next generation get excited about the fantastic natural environment on their doorstep.”
Nick Turley, Headteacher at Threlkeld Primary School, said: “All the pupils loved planting the trees with West Cumbria Rivers Trust. It was a great project to be involved in. The pupils showed excellent teamwork and perseverance to plant over 200 trees.”
Jan Darrall, Policy Officer at Friends of the Lake District said: “One of the main purposes of our charity is to ‘secure a landscape that is accessible and enjoyed by all’. The generosity of landowners and the enthusiasm of communities like Threlkeld reminds us that our passion for the landscape of Cumbria and the Lake District is one that we share.”
The project is supported by the Environment Agency. Anna Hetterley, Natural Flood Management Advisor said “It’s great to see children engaging with their natural environment and learning about how landscapes, rivers and flooding are all connected. These trees will contribute to slowing the flow of water and reducing flooding in the Glenderamackin catchment.”
The River Glenderamackin project is funded by DEFRA’s Natural Flood Management programme and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development’s Water Environment Grant.
