Words by Smiley Team
Planting has begun for a new mini urban forest in east London, designed to give thanks to NHS staff and other key workers who worked during the pandemic to keep their community safe.
The Forest of Thanks in Parsloes Park, Dagenham, will consist of 32,000 native trees and shrubs along with a wildlife area, playground and outdoor sports and leisure areas.
The green space, equivalent to two and a half football fields, has been designed to be a place for socialising and relaxing, and there will also be a memorial meadow where those who lost their lives to Covid-19 are remembered.
The project is led by conservation charity The Conservation Volunteers. Their Chief Executive Darren York said: “The Conservation Volunteers is a UK charity that connects people and green spaces, through activities such as tree planting, to tackle the climate and ecological emergency and provide lasting outcomes for people, communities and nature.
“We’re proud to be a part of this fantastic partnership which will employ both traditional and innovative new tree planting methods at Parsloes Park, a valuable local green space.“
The 32,000 trees - including oaks, maples and willows - will be planted using the innovative Miyawaki planting method, a technique pioneered in Japan that encourages dense forest cover and quick tree growth, up to 10 times faster than normal.
It also leads to a sustainable forest that does not need chemicals or fertilisers to thrive. Within four years the Forest of Thanks should be absorbing 24,000 kg of carbon, processing 1.5 million litres of rain and improving air quality by up to 10 per cent.
Councillor Saima Ashraf is the deputy leader of Barking and Dagenham Council. She said: “These have been extremely difficult times for us all, we recognise those who work in our NHS, our key workers and anyone else who has gone above and beyond with the Forest of Thanks with planting 32,000 trees.”
The Conservation Volunteers project officer Michael Williams has been involved in planting the new trees at the site. He added: “Projects such as the Forest of Thanks help build stronger communities by bringing people together that might not otherwise meet.
“We’re hoping school children can get involved too, instilling an interest and care for nature, and hopefully inspiring some to take up careers in science, whether that is in the environment sector of any of the many other valuable fields.”
To learn more about the forest and for details on how to get involved with conservation projects and tree planting in your local area, visit The Conservation Volunteers website or follow them on Twitter.
