900 Wildlife-friendly trees to be planted this weekend
10/03/10
Hundreds of trees will be planted in Aberdeen this weekend when the council's Countryside Ranger Service joins forces with the Friends of Denburn Community Group.Volunteers are invited to join in the huge task of planting about 900 trees near the Denburn, by Anderson Drive and the Hill of Rubislaw.
The site has been coniferous woodland for the last 50-70 years, but the trees were starting to blow down in high winds and had made the area very dark.
Those trees were felled earlier this year to make way for the new generation. The trees, which will be planted on Saturday [13 March], will be a mix of wildlife-friendly trees, including coniferous and broadleaved species which will encourage red squirrels and a variety of birds to use the woodland in the future.
The mix will also make it more visually attractive to human visitors for the next 70 - 100 years at least.
The Denburn Valley is one of the city's key wildlife corridors which allows birds, insects and other animals to move easily and safely from the rural areas to the west into the heart of Aberdeen.
Countryside officer Ian Talboys said: "This is an area that the Friends of the Denburn have been wanting to improve for a number of years. This year Aberdeen City Council has been able to get funding to do this work which will be of great benefit to the local wildlife and human residents in the area.
"The Friends of the Denburn is a very active and well supported community group which has been helping to manage this area for nearly 18 years."
Parking is not permitted on Anderson Drive. On street parking is available in Ord Street or Kings Cross Road. The planting site is just a short walk away. The planting will be starting at 10am from the bottom of Ord Street next to the Denburn but volunteers are welcome to join in later in the day as well.
For further information and to book a place please contact the Countryside Ranger Service on 01224 897400. Tools will be provided, but it is essential that places are booked in advance to ensure there are enough on site.