Local Community Comes Together to Plant Over 1,000 Native Trees at Butser Ancient Farm
On Saturday, March 23rd, 2024, Butser Ancient Farm, a not-for-profit heritage site and open air museum in East Hampshire, hosted a successful tree planting event. Over 100 members of the local community gathered to plant over 1,000 native trees, with the aim of promoting biodiversity and supporting local wildlife.
The event was filled with various activities, including talks and walks on native trees and wild foraging, as well as hands-on nature-based activities such as making clay and pebble art with leaves and paints. Attendees were also given the opportunity to take part in a community tree blessing, where they could tie ribbons to trees to celebrate and give thanks to nature.
Butser worked closely with local community groups to ensure inclusivity and encourage participation from all members of the community, particularly those from deprived areas. The event was presided over by Hampshire MP Damian Hinds and Petersfield town crier Faye Thompson, and was supported by Butser volunteers.
Katherine Brooks, volunteer coordinator at Butser, expressed her gratitude towards everyone who joined the event, stating that it was a fantastic day and a prime example of the power of community spirit. She emphasized the importance of growing native plants and trees in creating biodiversity and supporting local wildlife, and hoped that the event would spark further discussions and inspire more planting in the local area.
All the trees planted during the event were of native species, including crab apple, holly, dog rose, hawthorn, and wild cherry. They were incorporated into Butser’s growing network of native hedgerows, which provide green pathways, safe nesting, and seasonal food for local wildlife.
Imogen Carter, community gardener at Butser, highlighted the urgency of conservation and environmental sustainability, and how engaging people with nature is a crucial step in empowering communities to make a difference in their local area. She expressed her excitement at the opportunity to expand Butser’s range of heritage trees in their historic gardens, hoping that by reflecting on the past, the community will find natural solutions to combat the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Building on the success of the tree planting event, Butser will also be offering free workshops in May on the ancient wisdom of plants. These workshops aim to engage young people and their families with nature, and share how plants were used for food, healing, dyeing, and crafts throughout ancient history. The one-day hands-on workshops will include activities such as planting in Butser’s historic garden areas, exploring the ancient medicinal uses of healing plants, natural plant-based dyeing, and using plant fibers to produce cordage.
In addition to gaining knowledge about the benefits of trees and plants, participants in both the tree planting and the workshops will also receive access to nature-based informational videos from Butser’s video documentary platform Butser Plus.
The Community Tree Planting Day and The Ancient Wisdom of Plants workshop program are part of a project funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund #UKSPF, as part of East Hampshire District Council’s Grow Up! program.
Butser Ancient Farm is currently open to visitors on weekends and school holidays until the end of October. It will then reopen in December for a season of magical festive events, connecting visitors to the ancient traditions of midwinter. To find out more, please visit www.butserancientfarm.co.uk and www.butserplus.com.
This news story was distributed by Pressat, a leading press release distribution service based in the UK.
