Features / One Tree Per Child
One Tree Per Child reaches 50,000 tree milestone
Children from Broomhill Junior School broke ground and helped to create a new woodland in Eastwood Farm nature reserve in Brislington. The event was part of the One Tree Per Child Bristol scheme, and marked a huge milestone for the project which has now planted more than 50,000 trees.
The project launched in 2015 with the aim of planting 36,000 trees in Bristol, one for every primary school aged child in the city. Having hit their target, they are continuing to work with schools to create more green spaces in Bristol and help children learn about and connect with their natural surroundings. As well as planting another 6,000 trees in 2018, the programme also includes education opportunities for schools across the city.
Anna Keen, cabinet member for education and skills, joined the young people to plant the milestone trees. “It is fantastic to see that One Tree Per Child is still inspiring young people to take an interest in the environment,” she said.
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“It is vitally important that children learn everything they can about taking care of our planet and OTPC delivers a fantastic education program that encourages them to respect and nurture the world around them. I would also like to thank all the volunteers and partners who help make all these planting sessions possible and help us to develop lasting change through education and community engagement.”
Councillor Anna Keen getting stuck in, despite snowy weather
One Tree Per Child was founded by John Dee and Grease star Olivia Newton-John, and Bristol was the first city to become involved. All 130 primary schools in the city are involved, and now the project has spread to 11 countries.
Despite this success, the achievements in Bristol are still touching for the founders. “It’s very, very exciting,” Newton-John told Bristol24/7. “When Jon Dee and I started the project we had this vision of every child in the world planting a tree, so to see it already starting to happen so quickly is amazing.”
Newton-John credits Bristol City Council as the reason the project has achieved so much success. “They really are the backbone of this project and worked so hard to bring it all together,” she added. “I think it sets the standard for the country and the world, and hopefully will inspire new companies and schools to provide more support and spark change in other cities across the UK.”
One Tree Per Child co-founders Olivia Newton-John and Jon Dee planting the project’s first tree
For the children of Bristol involved in the project, Newton-John describes the experience as “empowering”. She said: “It’s a wonderful feeling to plant something that will make a difference to the world, to the soil, to the environment and it gives children a sense of changing something themselves.”
She added that it is also important for people’s well-being: “There’s psychological research that suggests there’s a connection between mental health and having a connection with nature, and a lot of children in urban areas are disadvantaged in that way. Hopefully this project will help to change that, in Bristol and around the world.”
For more information on the project and how you can get involved as a volunteer, visit www.bristol.gov.uk/onetreeperchild
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