Over 1,500 trees have been given away free to local people as part of a campaign by Sustainable Swanage to help ‘green-up’ the natural environment. The aim by the independent environmental group is to plant a new tree to represent every child in the town.
The Greening Swanage initiative, started last October with the planting of a native crabapple tree at All Saints Church in Ulwell Road in Swanage. Since then there have been tree giveaway events, including one outside the Information Centre in Shore Road.
Native saplings
The last of the native saplings were handed out at Durlston Castle last weekend. The lucky recipients had a choice of rowan, silver birch, field maple and crabapple trees – all chosen because they help support the native wildlife.
As saplings, the trees are small but a spokesperson for the project said:
”Younger trees are easier to establish and handle and also grow on quicker in comparison to trees planted when they are older. They may lack immediate visual impact, but it won’t take them long!”
