Hungerford: woodland for future generations planted
More than 50 volunteers braved wintry weather
John Garvey
THE first of the Lockdown Woods trees have been planted near Hungerford.
More than 50 volunteers braved the wintry weather to plant more than 860 young trees in Westbrook Down.
The trees comprised mixed native broadleaved whips donated by The Woodland Trust, plus 20 saplings, which local people had been tending in their gardens since the first lockdown in March this year.
The field, owned by the Town & Manor of Hungerford, was home to numerous ash trees which had to be felled due to ash dieback disease.
Acting chief executive of the charity Ellie Dickins, who was among the volunteers, said: “The Town & Manor of Hungerford was delighted to welcome Newbury Friends of the Earth, as well as Hungerford Environmental Action Team (HEAT) and St Lawrence Church volunteers to plant [these] young trees in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”