JERSEY Trees for Life is seeking volunteers to plant tree and hedgerow whips over the winter months as part of its ongoing campaign to support the Island’s wildlife.
This year the charity exceeded expectations by planting 15,000 tree and hedgerow whips, including oak and hawthorn, in various parishes.
Beverley Dallas-Chapman, the organisation’s senior community fundraiser, said: ‘We’re trying to recreate or reconnect hedgerows around the Island to make living corridors where wildlife can stay safe, keep warm and get around.’
Insects, birds, shrews, voles, hedgehogs, bats and squirrels are just some of the animals benefiting from the scheme.
Jersey Trees for Life is a small charity with a team dedicated to protecting the Island’s trees and woodlands. It was set up in 1937 by several Islanders and called ‘Men of the Trees’ focusing on planting exotic trees and shrubs in private gardens.
Now Jersey Trees for Life plays an important part in helping to plant and care for trees Islandwide enhancing the landscape, benefiting wildlife and providing shelter.
The organisation has been involved in many tree and woodland projects such as planting trees along
the Old Corbiere railway track and planting the woodland at Grainville School. More recently it has been involved in the Adelina Wood project, on the edge of town, and the Val de la Mare Aboretum.
Beverley said volunteers joining this season’s planting scheme would be working in small groups to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.
‘It’s going to be a difficult year trying to work around the restrictions. There will be 10 to 15 people in a group and more time in-between the mornings and afternoons for disinfecting.’
Volunteers should be fit and well, have a great sense of humour to deal with the weather and like working with other people. All ages are welcome including supervised children from five years old upwards.
Anyone interested in helping of getting involved in the charity can email beverley@jerseytreesforlife.org or visit https://jerseytreesforlife.org/.
