Tree-tastic: World record attempt to plant 15,000 trees in Woodford Green park begins

Members of the public and councillors are helping towards platning 15,000 trees (Image: Archant)

The green-fingered gang met in Ray Park, Snakes Lane East, Woodford Green to get started on planting the saplings which will form a thicket running alongside the M11.

Charity organisation Trees for Cities initiated the record attempt in celebration of its 20th birthday.

Cllr Robin Turbefield, cabinet member for leisure and youth services, said: “I think it’s brilliant. It’s a fabulous gift to the borough and the park. It’s going to look fabulous when it’s all grown up.”

Volunteers braved the cold to help plant the saplings and teams will be meeting every day to get the rest of the trees in the ground.

Cllr Turbefield said: “We are a very green borough anyway but more trees add to the niceness of the borough as well as to the ecosystem. They’re aesthetically pleasing and will outlive me and you.”

He said that the band of trees would provide an excellent place for dog walkers and children to play in.

“It’s really important that we do things like this,” he added. “Though trees do attract litter we do have a patrol for that.”

Next year Tress for Cities will return to remove any saplings which did not survive and monitor how the thicket is developing.

The project, which is in partnership with vision Redbridge, was also given a £500 donation by the Lion Club of London Seven Kings and the Lions Club of Fairlop.

Sanjay Rughani, president of the Seven Kings club, said: “The day was very enjoyable although rather cold, but the enthusiasm to see something like that happening locally was fabulous. It was very, very good.”

On the day there was hot food, live music as well as face painting and crafts for children.

Mr Rughani said: “It was a lot of fun, especially for the children, although some of the adults got their faces painted as well.”