Street Trees
It has long been proven that trees not only make our streets more attractive but also increase the value of adjacent properties. Trees help reduce pollution, increase biodiversity, reduce flooding and improve our mental health among many other benefits.
GIB have planted over 100 trees in the streets of Godmanchester since 2009.
Our planet cannot survive without trees and we must plant for the future, our insects, birds, wildlife, our food, the air we breathe and of course their beauty.
New Trees at Tudor Road/Cambridge Road.
Even the younger community can help plant trees. Here at Betts Close.
Gingko in Tudor Road planted in 2009.
The Orchards
In February 2011 GIB with the help of local residents planted the first 8 fruit trees. Presently we have a total of 19 fruit trees at Devana Park. Town Orchards have become a rarity nationally.
These are old, local varieties of apple, plum and pear which were sourced from the East of England Apples and Orchards Project.
Apple blossom in Devana Park Orchard.
The Town Council kindly let us use a section of Devana Park, residents donated trees or gave money and it proved a successful and enjoyable community project.
The new orchard in Wigmore Park.
In 2017 a neighbour of Wigmore Park financed a second orchard there. Once again these are old local varieties of apples and plums. Twelve trees in total. This was also a fun day for the locals and their children .We hope the community will try the different varieties we have planted in the two orchards.
The Jubilee Copse
In 2012 the children from the Godmanchester Community School came out to plant eight blossoming trees on the ground at the back of their school.
This time six trees were provided by Huntingdon District Council, one a private donation and another from Anglia In Bloom for the launch of the In Bloom judging competition.
Planting at the Jubilee Copse.
This was, of course, the year of the Queen’s Jubilee thus we named the area the Jubilee Copse
Hedges
GIB has planted several hedges along Silver Street, one of which was planted by students from the College of Animal Welfare.
A hedge was once planted by the children from the Rocking Horse Nursery ( now Clarence House Pre-school) at the plant nursery in Park Lane.
We replanted the large gap in the hedging at the cemetery ( we also added fifteen whips and two large Hornbeams there) and used hedging to hide an ugly electric sub station in Fox Grove.
Planting hedges in Silver Street.
Before and after pictures of a laurel hedge planted to obscure thee ugly sub station on Fox Grove Green.
New trees and hedge at Fox Grove Green.
Judith’s Field
Huntingdon District Council gave GiB 38 little whips to plant at Judith’s Field in 2015. Most have survived especially the Black Poplars which are now quite substantial. We intend to plant more this year. We also organised with the Guides the planting of twelve cherries 2009.
Newly planted trees at Judith’s Field.
Three year old black poplars at Judith’s Field.
Cricket Field
Six oaks grown from acorns by a resident are doing well along the Ouse Valley Way. We have added two more oaks ( one donated), a Lime and a Silver Birch.
Oaks grown from acorns along the Ouse Valley Way.
The Recreation Ground
The Town Council needed to start replacing trees to enhance the area so GIB have been at work again planting more than twenty more exotic trees like the Foxglove tree, Tulip tree, Gingko tree, Indian Bean Tree, Judas tree, etc. Some of these trees were donated and others paid for by the Town Council.
GiB volunteers planting a Gingko on behalf of the Town Council on the Recreation Ground.
The Muir Estate
The Scouts enthusiastically helped with this project to plant eight trees just off Bascraft Way in 2015. They also did lots of digging to plant the trees at Betts Close.
GiB volunteers assisted by the scouts and the Mayor of Godmanchester, David Underwood, planting new trees in Bascraft Way.
Pettit’s Green
We have planted many trees in this location and plan to add more this winter.
Contacts
If you would like to donate a tree in memory of a loved one or similar please contact us.
Carlie Campbell
carlie.campbell@gmail.com
Graham Campbell
graham.campbell1@gmail.com