THE two millionth tree of a forest has been planted in Redditch with the help of green-fingered school children.

Pupils from Mappleborough Green C of E Primary School helped the Heart of England Forest plant their two millionth tree on the charity’s new site at Gorcott Hill.

It was a milestone for the Midlands based charity in their mission to create and conserve a 30,000-acre forest for the benefit of the environment, people and wildlife.

The forest was established in 1996 and stretches along Worcestershire and Warwickshire, covering 7,000 acres of land.

Redditch youngsters were invited to take part in the planting as the site is set to become home to the charity’s Future Forest Guardians programme, which aims to connect young people with the natural world.

Beth Brook, Chief Executive, the Heart of England Forest said: “Our pledge is that by the time these schoolchildren and the trees we plant today reach maturity, we will have created a forest that is at the heart of a greener, cleaner and more diverse natural world in this community.

"While tree planting on its own will not be able to get us there, we believe that every tree we plant today or acre of land we add tomorrow can make a genuine difference to the future of society and our planet.”

Alexander Finch, Head Teacher at Mappleborough Green C of E Primary School said: “Our children and staff have hugely benefitted from their visits to the Heart of England Forest. 

"The children relish playing and learning in the natural world, and experiencing the beautiful forest environment in all seasons and weathers has had a very positive impact on their wellbeing, as well as their academic attainment.  Following the significant challenges of the last couple of years, these benefits have become even more apparent.”