We’re pleased to announce our first Woodland Connections Week, from 17 – 24 June. With support from Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund we will be celebrating all the ways trees and woodlands are important for us, with events running across the county beginning with Acton Park Tree Party, 17th June 12-4pm; a family friendly woodland festival getting to the ‘root’ of why trees matter.
Clare Morgan, Outreach Manager at Woodland Trust Wales (Coed Cadw) said: “We are delighted to have awarded funding to Wrexham County Borough Council through the Emergency Tree Fund for their Woodland Connections project, which aims to plant around 4,000 trees to boost canopy cover in the area. The funding will help the council deliver on their ambitious Tree and Woodland Strategy, ensuring that not only new trees and woodlands are created but that existing trees and woods are well managed and protected. The project will also deliver for people by engaging communities and building their connection with woodland and nature in general.”
The Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund is supported through Amazon’s $100 million Right Now Climate Fund. With €20 million committed to projects across the UK and Europe, the fund has been set up to conserve, restore and improve forests, wetlands and grasslands, protecting wildlife habitats, biodiversity and quality of life for communities.
Wrexham’s Acton Park Tree Party has a whole range of activities to get involved with; from campfire cooking to storytelling workshops. Spend some time relaxing in our hammocks or if you’re feeling more energetic, take a walk around our ancient tree trail. ‘We want to show people that woodlands aren’t just for wildlife; they also play an important part in supporting health and wellbeing and having access to nature, especially in urban areas, is essential to maintaining healthy lifestyle.’
There is an ever growing source of evidence that shows that being amongst woodlands reduces stress and anxiety, improving physical health through exercise and overall quality of life through improved air quality, reduced flood risk and soil stability. Importantly, as we face a changing climate, trees and woodlands will help manage carbon emissions as well as help regulate temperatures, especially in built up areas. Woodland Connections Week gives you an opportunity to discover and explore all of this as well as the rich, diverse tree heritage that shares our land.
Woodland Connections Week continues with several mid-week events you can participate in:
| Monday 19th June 10am to 2pm | Erlas Victorian Walled Garden –take a trip back in time with a visit around the grounds of Erlas, with its magnificent mulberry tree and unique environment. Guided walks on the hour (10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm) | Erlas Victorian Walled Garden, Bryn Estyn Road Wrexham LL139TY | Refreshments available. |
| Tuesday 20th June | |||
| Wednesday 21st June 5.30-8.30pm | Summer Solstice Nature Walk Celebrate the longest day of the year with a guided walk around Ty Mawr Country Park looking at native trees and wildlife with James Kendall from Woodland Classroom. The walk will finish with a summer wassail celebrating the new orchard with a family friendly ceremony, making leaf crowns and enjoying hot spiced apple juice around a campfire as the sun begins to set. All ages welcome | Tŷ Mawr Country Park Cae Gwilym Lane Cefn Mawr Wrexham LL14 3PE | |
| Thursday 22nd June | |||
| Friday 23rd June 10-12pm | City Centre Tree Trail- Join us on a guided walk learning about the wonderful trees that share our city centre and why they are so important for our future. | Wrexham Library, Chester Rd, Wrexham LL11 1WS |
Locations throughout the county have been selected for their special features and the roles they play in Wrexham. Erlas Victorian Walled Garden was a hub for the My Tree, Our Forest Welsh government giveaway last tree planting season but it also home to an ancient Mullberry tree. Join the Erlas wardens on a trip through time, taking in the grounds of this unique environment to learn about how people and wildlife can work closely together.
Tŷ Mawr Country Park provides a dramatic backdrop to celebrate the Summer Solstice in our newly planted orchard. 100 trees were planted with Brymbo Heritage Trust and country park rangers over the last year, creating a vital habitat for wildlife and local asset for communities. Trees and woodlands can offer a wide source of food for people, from managed orchards to wild foraging. In recent years our tree planting efforts recognise the important role this can offer when supporting community growing projects.
The Woodland Connection Week ends with a guided walk around Wrexham City Centre, exploring the city tree trail and discussing how trees and woodlands can support an urban environment in a changing climate. This walk will give the trees of the city centre the recognition they deserve as well as showcase some of the ways we are protecting our trees for future generations.
You can learn more about Woodland Connections Week by following our facebook and twitter pages where further details about the events in the week will be shared. You can also lend your support to the project by signing up to our woodland pledge and sharing why trees matter to you.
Facebook and Twitter search: Addewid Coetir Wrecsam/ Wrexham Woodland Pledge
