Pupils plant for the future

PUPILS from Kinmylies Primary School will be learning about trees and their importance to the environment, as they take part in a special project by looking after three young trees which are destined to be planted beside the new West Link road.

Pupils, aged 5 to 7 from P1 to P3, were assisted by land based skills students from the Scottish School of Forestry, Inverness College, to plant three trees in the grounds of Kinmylies Primary School.  The children helped to plant a silver birch, a wild cherry and a beech tree with the students and their lecturer, who had tended the trees in their nursery for the past few months.

Teacher Lorraine Innes said: “The children are learning about trees at the moment as part of their science lessons, so this is a great project for them to be involved in. Pupils from different classes get together once a month to work together as part of community orchard and gardening groups.”

The trees were planted in such a way, with assistance from the Scottish School of Forestry, so that they can be easily moved to their final location by the West Link in 2019. They will be amongst 3000 saplings and over 170 large trees planted to provide instant `greening’ and screening. Over time they will mature and help to integrate the road and associated projects into the local landscape and the saplings will be managed to ensure the continuity of tree cover in Inverness.

Provost of Inverness Helen Carmichael said: “The children at Kinmylies Primary School will be looking after the trees for the next 2 to 3 years until they are planted out beside the new West Link Road. The pupils all thoroughly enjoyed helping to plant the trees and some of them taking turns to wear the protective helmets and using spades and getting really involved.

“The West Link is about connecting communities and this is a wonderful project where children can be really involved in their environment and their future. As the children grow, they will be able to see the trees grow and have a real connection with the project and their environment.”

Photograph Caption:

Bailey McArthur aged 8 and Rose Munro aged 5, from Kinmylies Primary School, with Provost of Inverness Helen Carmichael with the Silver Birch