600 trees have been planted by the Caerphilly community at Morgan Jones Park following a successful Public Planting Day.
The event, which was held by Climate Action Caerffili Gweithredu Hinsawdd (CACGH) saw not only the planting of 600 trees but also included fun-packed activities for the whole family.
Schools, Llamau (Learning for Life) and the general public all took part with 450 people attending the Public Planting Day on Global Day of Action (6th November). Approximately 700 people also visited the Park to take part in activities including a 30ft Gratitude Tree, created with Land Artist Kate Raggett, face painting, music, dancing and storytelling, games and crafts.
The event marked the beginning of Caerphilly’s Tiny Forest, a very small forest created using a method developed by a Japanese botanist, Akira Myawaki which is designed to grow 10 times faster than a conventional forest and provides a whole host of benefits to help combat climate change and biodiversity loss.
With its outdoor classroom and citizen’s science projects, Tiny Forest Caerphilly is the first community led Tiny Forest in Wales and is set to be at the heart of the local community for many years to come.
Kate Raggett, Landscape Artist said "I felt honoured to be part of this environmentally significant local event and to be given the opportunity to draw out a large tree in celebration and gratitude of all trees."
Local Councillor Jamie Pritchard adds “I have been very involved with the project over the last 14 months and seeing the community all coming together. The Tiny Forest is going to be a great asset to the Borough and it will be a green space for everyone to enjoy for years to come. ”
The Tiny Forest project was funded by Welsh Government’s Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme, administered by WCVA and is the creation of Climate Action Caerphilly, a local volunteer group committed to taking steps to build Caerphilly's resilience to Climate Change and to work with the community on positive climate initiatives.