Children from Trinity First School and Critchill School took part in Earthwatch’s first community science event at Egford Park’s newly planted Tiny Forest. The students spent the afternoon immersed in nature and carrying out hands-on research while learning how Tiny Forests can benefit both wildlife and people.
From colour soil testing to identifying ground dwellers and discovering new wildlife, the children also took part in tree measuring and looked at flood management and infiltration rates within the forest.
Frome Town Council’s Tree Officer Helen Viner, who organised the event with Earthwatch, said: “It was great to see the enthusiasm and the kids getting stuck in, learning about this important new addition to the park. From the community planting day back in November last year, the Tiny Forest has come on leaps and bounds, and the children will be able to continue to monitor its growth and help with its development and look back in pride in years to come.”
The Tiny Forest model works by planting a variety of local species into a dense space the size of a tennis court. The plants are carefully selected to grow at varying heights, meaning they can pack in many more plants than a space of the same size would normally hold.
Cllr Fiona Barrows said: “Frome has been making rapid progress towards its target to plant as many trees as residents – that’s 27,000 trees! This Tiny Forest is a rich hub for biodiversity, of both plants and animals, and a site that sucks in high levels of carbon. The team at Frome Town Council are currently exploring locations for a further Tiny Forest to be planted.”
Further information on the Tiny Forest and Frome Town Council’s tree planting can be found on our Wild about Trees page.
