Trees planted as part of community project
From left, Dave Morgan, Nigel Stannett, Gill Mayhew, Martin Day and Katayoun Dowlatshahi planting trees along the A149 at Northrepps as part of a Wild About Trees project. - Credit: Supplied by Wild About Trees
Creating a greener future is the goal of a new community project which has just planted 32 saplings along a north Norfolk roadside.
Dr Katayoun Dowlatshahi, an artist who lives at Northrepps, was joined by a group of other locals to litter-pick a section of the A149 and plant 32 white poplar and Lombardy poplar tree saplings.
Dr Dowlatshahi, who said she wanted to continue with other plantings under the project name Wild About Trees, said: "I think the verges are important and it's important to re-plant as much as we can. Only a small portion of verges are protected, but they really need protecting.
From left, Gill Mayhew, Katayoun Dowlatshahi and Martin Day planting trees along the A149 at Northrepps as part of a Wild About Trees project. - Credit: Supplied by Wild About Trees
"Plus, I'm a bit of a guerrilla planter so I decided to formalise it. Anyone who has the same passion for trees and planting that I do can do their bit."
Dr Dowlatshahi said the planting had the support of North Norfolk District Council’s climate change project officer Nigel Stannett and landowner Michael Gurney.
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Others involved were Martin Day, Gill Mayhew, Kathryn Moore, and Dave Morgan. The trees were donated by Aylsham’s Woodgate Nursery.
Dr Dowlatshahi said there were 'adopt-a-verge' schemes in the USA and Australia which gave people the opportunity to look after a section of roadside.
Katayoun Dowlatshahi planting trees along the A149 at Northrepps as part of a Wild About Trees project. - Credit: Supplied by Wild About Trees
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She said: "If you take responsibility for a section of verge and look after it by litter picking in partnership with the landowners, it's a win-win for everybody."
Dr Dowlatshahi said there seemed to be a lot of uncertainty around planting trees because of a long-awaited environment bill, which has been delayed until later this year.
She said: "I feel we can't afford to wait. We have got a climate crisis and we have to plant as many trees as we can, where it's appropriate."
Dr Dowlatshahi said living along that section of road had given her an appreciation of how useful green verges were. In the past few years she has been 'snowed in' twice as snowdrifts blowing onto the carriageway made her home inaccessible - firstly during the Beast from the East in 2018 and again in February this year.
She has also seen how the wind can blow soil from the fields across the road, an effect which could be tackled by tree planting.
Kathryn Moore and Martin Day planting trees along the A149 at Northrepps as part of a Wild About Trees project. - Credit: Supplied by Wild About Trees
Anyone interested in taking part in a future Wild about Trees planting or has a site for trees, can call Dr Dowlatshahi on 07944 731081.
The district council has a scheme to plant 110,000 trees - one for every resident - within four years, up to April 2023.
Martin Day planting a sapling along the A149 at Northrepps as part of a Wild About Trees project. - Credit: Supplied by Wild About Trees
