Fresh from its mammoth achievement of planting nearly 20,000 trees in just five months, the team at Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) are now making sure as many of them as possible survive the warm weather.
The team have been visiting sites across the district to water the new saplings, with aftercare key to their future health.
The SVP team have also extended their thanks to everyone who has been involved in the drive which saw them plant 19,139 trees across Stroud, including local councils, private landowners, and all the volunteers involved.
“Our volunteers have worked their socks off to plant all these trees and hedgerow plants, which will work hard for nature as well as making our district a better place for us to live,” said SVP CEO Clare Mahdiyone.
“We’re so proud of them for their dedication and perseverance, digging holes into the bone-dry ground including in the baking sun and freezing cold.
“We’d also like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone involved, whether they’ve donated trees, supplied land for planting, joined our teams, struck out on their own to plant trees we’ve provided to them, or provided us with essential funding.
“Thanks to Stroud District Council, Nailsworth Town Council, Cainscross Parish Council, Cotswold Canals Connected, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Good Small Farms, Sapperton Wilder, Cotswold Gliding Club, Bristol and Gloucestershire Gliding Club, Tesco, Berkeley Vale Climate Action Network, Walking the Land, Charlea Community Garden and Westonbirt Arboretum.”
“We’d also like to thank our Friends of SVP, whose regular donations make a real difference to our ability to undertake work such as this; our Company Friends, who support us with payments every month: Stroud Brewery, the Prince Albert, Days Cottage, Family Tree Funerals and Saymor Furnishings; and our charity partner Midcounties Co Op.”
Clare also emphasises the importance of keeping trees and other plants watered during the current dry spell: “If you live near a tree or have one in your garden, take a bucket out and water it if you are able to. You can use your washing-up water, or put a bucket in the shower while the water warms up if you prefer.
“Trees are very thirsty – they can adapt to dry weather, but they’ll flourish if you take the time to water them.”
If your company or organisation would like to support Stroud Valleys Project in their work to keep people and nature thriving together across Stroud, email info@stroudvalleysproject.org.
