Eighty trees to be planted for 80th Liberation Day

Guernsey Trees for Life is offering a range of native and near native trees to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day

A new initiative will see about 80 trees planted across Guernsey to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of German Occupation during World War Two.

The LiberTree80 initiative was giving organisations including parishes, community groups, schools and businesses the opportunity to be given a tree to plant in a place of their choosing, organisers said.

It was being organised by the Guernsey Trees for Life (GTFL) charity as a lasting way to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Liberation Day, project leaders said.

GTFL secretary Scott De Carteret said: "LiberTree80 is more than a planting scheme - it's a celebration of Guernsey's past and a commitment to its future."

"Each tree will stand as a symbol of hope, biodiversity, and the enduring spirit of our island," he added.

Andy McCutcheon, also from GTFL, told BBC Radio Guernsey: "It's still the 80th year of liberation and we are doing something which marks and commemorates that but also something which will be a lasting testament into the future as well."

Mr McCutcheon said they would be providing 16 different native, near-native and other pollinator support species of trees, including English Oak and sweet chestnut, as well as smaller specimens such as crab apple, hawthorn and rowan.

These would be planted over autumn and winter, with possible locations including schools, parish land and front gardens, he added.

Mr McCutcheon said any organisations interested in planting a tree should contact GTFL to register an interest.