Climate change: Tiny forest planted in Caerphilly park

About 600 saplings will be planted in Caerphilly as part of a community project

About 600 trees will be planted in a town park as part of efforts to tackle climate change.

It is hoped the "tiny forest" project will help to cut air pollution, reduce flooding and improve biodiversity.

Local schoolchildren will help to plant the forest during the week followed by an open day on Saturday.

Chair of Climate Action Caerphilly, Marianne Longstaff said: "It'll take up 30 times more carbon planted this way than a traditionally planted forest."

The trees will be planted in Morgan Jones Park

"It'll take up a lot of water so we're hoping the flooding we've had in Morgan Jones Park recently will be mitigated.

"It should reduce the air pollution and noise pollution from the local road and a big part of this project is to educate local schools and the local community," she added.

Faster and denser

A variety or oak, beech, shrubs and fruiting trees will be planted in an area of Morgan Jones Park.

A special method of tree planting for the 28 native species of tree will allow them to grow faster and denser than a traditionally planted forest.

Groups of children will help plant the trees during the week, which will culminate in a day of action organised by Climate Action Caerphilly. On Saturday members of the public will be able to attend the site to plant a tree.

The saplings will be planted together more densely to help reduce the risk of flooding

Weeks of preparation work has gone into the project so far as Caerphilly Council has carried out groundworks on the designated area for the tiny forest.

Local people have also donated mulch and other materials which has been used to create planting areas and a footpath through the middle of the site.

The Caerphilly project has been funded by Welsh Government's Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme, administered by the WCVA.

It will become one of a handful of similar sites across Wales after 1,000 trees were planted at five separate locations across the country by Keep Wales Tidy earlier this year.

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