YOUNG people have done plenty of groundwork in their aim to plant new trees and hedgerows. Students from Shuttleworth College, pupils at Caldecote Lower School, Biggleswade, and tots at Toybox Day Nursery in Sandy, have volunteered to take part in the ope

YOUNG people have done plenty of groundwork in their aim to plant new trees and hedgerows.

Students from Shuttleworth College, pupils at Caldecote Lower School, Biggleswade, and tots at Toybox Day Nursery in Sandy, have volunteered to take part in the operation sponsored by the Woodland Trust.

International best-selling author Bill Bryson recently launched the campaign saying: "Thousands of miles of hedgerows disappeared during the last century, in the wake of agricultural development, which is a crime against the countryside.

"The Woodland Trust's hedge and copse initiative goes some small way to address the balance by planting new hedgerows.

"Planting them with help from the next generation is an effective way to get the message across that we need to conserve the hedgerows we have left and to replace the ones we have thoughtlessly and needlessly ripped out."

The planting of hedges and copses will attract wildlife and give schools living classrooms, says the trust, which pupils can enjoy for years to come.

All groups which join the campaign will receive a special pack from the Trust which contains 30 native trees, hedge and hazel copse plants together with instructions on planting and worksheets about the various species.

Pauline Scott, of the Caldecote Lower School PTA, said: "We will be planting an avenue of trees from the front gate to the field and what we have left over we will be planting as a maze.

"We have rowan and silver birch trees to plant and we also have some acorns taken from the Royal Garden at Windsor Great Park which the pupils are also going to plant."

Planting and using a hedge or hazel copse can contribute to Key Stage 2 learning.