Glasgow School Children Dig Deep to Plant 850 Trees for 850 Years

Primary 7 pupils from Miller Primary School, near Castlemilk, braved the elements on Cathkin Braes recently to take part in a tree planting event in celebration of Glasgow 850. 

Along with the Leader of Glasgow City Council, Cllr Susan Aitken, and some willing community volunteers, the pupils planted 850 native broadleaves, including hazel, rowan, silver birch, common oak and grey willow saplings, as part of the city’s birthday celebrations.   

The Glasgow 850 Wood is a living legacy from this special year and is not only commemorative, but, when established, will provide a practical solution to creating habitats for wildlife and supporting biodiversity in the area. 

The planting is part of the ambitious Clyde Climate Forest (CCF) initiative and a key step in a 10,000-tree project at Cathkin Braes, designed to reconnect woodlands, enhance nature networks, and boost biodiversity in Glasgow.  

The Clyde Climate Forest is a region-wide partnership that aims to plant the right trees in the right places to help nature recover and thrive, protect and mitigate against climate change, and create an ecologically secure environment for future generations.

Since its launch in 2021, the Clyde Climate Forest has planted more than four million trees across the Glasgow City Region - equivalent to two trees for every resident.  

The CCF’s vision is to see up to 18 million trees planted over the next decade, including 1.5 million urban trees, 200 woodland habitats connected, and 9,000 hectares of new forests and woodland created.  

The project is endorsed by all eight local authorities in the Glasgow City Region and is a key part of Glasgow’s journey to Net Zero.  

The Cathkin Braes event saw enthusiastic participation from residents, school children, and volunteer tree wardens, reflecting the growing community support for tree planting across the region.   

Tree wardens, have an important role in helping both to create and monitor tree planting projects, and maintaining and managing the tree planting sites. 

Leader of Glasgow City Council, Councillor Susan Aitken, said; “Tree planting is important both for helping to tackle climate change but also halting and reversing biodiversity loss and I know that across the eight local authorities there is a lot of support for any initiatives like this.  

“Getting young people and residents involved in the planting schemes also connects them, in a positive way, to their local area and they can see for themselves how the Glasgow 850 Wood establishes itself in years to come.” 

Chris Stark, Director of Clyde Climate Forest, said; “It was wonderful to get outside and plant trees for Glasgow 850, with local young people and volunteers. These trees will expand the existing native woodland at Cathkin Braes, improving habitat connectivity and nature networks for wildlife.  

“Planting trees is an excellent way to mitigate the effects of climate change. In future these trees will not only sequester carbon, but they will also provide shade and intercept rainwater – something local walkers will benefit from.” 

The Clyde Climate Forest is supported by eight local authorities across the wider Glasgow city region, from Greenock to Lanark. Each of the local authority has pledged support by signing a concordat agreement aimed at embedding CCF targets into their own plans and policies to help achieve Net Zero ambitions. 

The initiative continues to increase tree canopy cover in urban areas vulnerable to climate impacts, create new woodlands to lock up carbon and connect habitats for wildlife. To date, trees have been planted on farmland, as well as on public and private landholdings, in partnership with a range of stakeholders as well as communities, landowners, and businesses.