Thank you to Dr Chris Truman, the Environmental Lead at The Rotary Club of Scunthorpe Pentagon for sharing this smashing story.
Alan, the landowner, having purchased land adjacent to Bottesford Beck, had a vision and made a plan. His dream was to provide a walk in the woods for the local people of Scunthorpe.
North Lincolnshire Council were making an ongoing effort to extend the Bottesford Beck bridleway from Ashbyville Local Nature Reserve to the River Trent. The route would cross his land and he took this opportunity to realise this dream.
The planning and permissions to plant a wood took two years to arrange and involved
North Lincolnshire Council, the Woodland Trust, the provision of detailed information for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening and entries to the Public Register, which is held and administered by the Forestry Commission.
I was contacted by the Natural Environment Policy Specialist at North Lincolnshire
Council, Andrew Taylor, who desperately needed help to plant the trees that the Woodland Trust had provided. Could the Rotary Club help? As Environmental Lead, I coordinated a request for volunteer planters with the support of the Rotary Club of Scunthorpe Pentagon, Alan, the land owner, and Andrew at the Council.
We successfully raised interest and we were able to gather together over 70 volunteers to join us over a number of planting sessions.
It is with our grateful thanks that members from the Rotary Club of Scunthorpe Pentagon,
The Conservation Volunteers of Hull, The Friends of Bottesford Beck, The Bottesford Litter
Pickers, the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, North Lincolnshire Council, The Catzero Charity from Grimsby (providing young volunteers with job experience), Hanson UK, Severn Trent, The Canal and River Trust, Bottesford in Bloom, The Environment Agency, Councillor John Davison Mayor of Bottesford, families, friends and neighbours and not forgetting Mike the council truck driver, turned out to plant three and a half thousand trees in just three and a half days!
Species include Oak, Hazel, Aspen, Scots Pine, Dog rose, Hawthorn, Dogwood, Alder, Silver Birch, Wild Cherry and Holly.
The finished plantation was left in a clean and presentable state and is visible from the east bound carriageway of the M180.
From a child who loved to play in the woods, to a grown man with a dream, Alan was supported by the environmental team of The Rotary Club of Scunthorpe Pentagon to arrange and succeed in the implementation and manifestation of his vision.