Forests Without Frontiers partners with The Children’s Forest to bring children into nature to plant trees.
“I wish this tree grows up to be home to birds and squirrels” says Iris-Rose, aged four.
“I wish mine grows big and strong” says Ewan, five.
Learning to carefully plant a tree
It’s a blustery spring morning and a group of primary school children are busy at work digging holes and planting trees at Springham Farm in East Sussex, putting their wishes into the soil along with the saplings.
They’ve spent time in the woodlands learning about nature – the ‘tree telephone’ mycelium networks that let trees talk to and feed each other, the feeling of grass beneath bare feet, the joy of a campfire. They’ve climbed trees, built dens, sung songs – and, best of all, they’ve each planted a tree that they will be able to tend and watch grow over years to come.
Forests Without Frontiers is here with The Children’s Forest – a recently-launched organisation on a mission to support children’s wellbeing by providing them with the opportunity to envision and create a positive future by planting trees.
Over six days, 60 children from Hailsham Primary Academy have come to the farm, spending a day and a half deeply immersed in nature, funded by FWF (with money largely raised at an event in Brighton to launch the Cities for Earth campaign) and Springham Farm.
“We are so happy to be working with the Children’s Forest,” said FWF founder Nicoleta Carpineanu. “My son Rumi went to Forest School in Firle and was taught by Children’s Forest founder Anna. I always envisioned that Forests Without Frontiers would one day bring children into nature, to really connect with the natural world – to see the children in nature makes my heart sing.”
Modern research has shown the calming effects of nature on the nervous system, and the benefits of being outside in the wild, for even a short time, quickly become clear, with children excitedly engaging with their surrounds, lapping up new knowledge and proudly planting their trees (a mix of native species from hawthorn to oak).
“It’s so special to watch the children plant trees with such care,” said Hailsham Primary Academy teaching assistant Mrs Peters. “They may live in or close to the countryside but most of them have never experienced it like this – taking their shoes off, playing in the soil, lighting fires. It’s something that will really stay with them, and they will be able to come back year after year, and maybe even bring their own children one day!”
In a time of climate crisis and increased social isolation, the Children’s Forest aims to help young people feel part of nature, learn to imagine a new world and take concrete steps towards creating it, said founder Anna Richardson.
“Children are naturally open to nature and want to take care of it and protect it,” she explained. “Being in nature nourishes a heart connection and by imagining and planting a forest of the future – and tending it over the years – the children can learn to become caretakers of the land. It’s incredibly important to nurture this relationship – for the planet and for their own wellbeing. And it encourages future generational thinking to support life beyond our lifetime”.
As the time comes to leave, the children reluctantly say goodbye to their newly planted trees and walk back up the hill and past a beautiful old oak. “It was really good,” says five-year-old Ryan, beaming. “I want to come back already.”
With thanks to all our supporters. Education is an integral part of what we aim to do at Forests Without Frontiers and we will continue to raise funds to take children into nature.
Jane Dunford
Forests Without Frontiers