STUDENTS from Oakwood Court College, Dawlish, last week joined forces with the Woodland Trust to plant native, broadleaved trees and shrubs in the grounds of St Gregory's Church. It was part of the Woodland Trust's Tree for All campaign – the largest children's tree planting mission the UK has seen. Launched in 2004, the five-year project will see one million children plant 12 million trees. It is hoped that through this simple act, young people will grow up with a respect for the environment. Oakwood College caters for young people aged 16 and over with learning difficulties. The group involved with the hedgerow planting are in their second year at Oakwood and did this as part of their grounds' maintenance course. Horticulture instructor at the college, Dave Maynard, said: 'This is an opportunity for my students to contribute to the local community while learning and applying knowledge at the same time.' Under the guidance of Sam Elliott, the workshop student group built bird boxes that were put up in the churchyard. 'Planting and using a hedge cannot only contribute to reinforcing basic skills in numeracy and literacy, but also in design,' said Paul Bunton of the Woodland Trust. 'For many of these students, this was the first time had they planted a tree. 'Educating today's young people about the benefit of looking after our environment will help protect the forests of tomorrow. By planting and looking after these hedges and copses, young people are contributing to a greener future for us all.'
