Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Spruce up your tree ID, do you know your oak from your ash?
Did you know that the average living room has ten items made from trees, or that 300 insects live in just one silver birch tree? How often do you read a newspaper, sit on a sofa or write on a piece of paper?
With over 70 million visits to the nations’ forests a year, a new campaign has been launched by Forestry Commission England exploring the world of trees and revealing what an incredible contribution they make to our lives.
Tree Explorer helps people to identify and learn more about the different tree species, uncovering some amazing facts that most of us probably didn’t know before.
A new online tree identification tool has been launched which helps people to identify of a variety of species from a willow in their garden, to a sycamore in their local park or forest.
The new Tree Explorer trail is available at 21 forests across the country. Visitors can identify trees using their leaves, bark and seeds and delve into fascinating and entertaining old tree traditions along the way.
The Tree Explorer activity pack encourages children to get to grips with how we look after the nations’ forests. They can try their hand at being a tree scientist, step into the world of a wildlife ranger or learn about the day job of our foresters.
A range of self-guided walks have also been created in forest locations around the country, encouraging people to learn more about the trees on their doorstep. Explore the unusual at Westonbirt Arboretum or take a stroll through Symonds Yat, there’s something on offer across the country.
We are committed to planting an ever more diverse range of tree species. These are grown from carefully selected seeds that could better cope with our changing climate, whilst increasing the variety of food for our wildlife.
Five awe-inspiring facts
1. They say life begins at 40; it really does for an oak tree! They don’t start producing acorns until then and reach peak production when they are 80-120 years old.
3. Climate change champions! Trees reduce the impact of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and storing the carbon in their wood.
4. New flour fad? Romans used to grind sweet chestnuts for their baking bonanzas. Their leaves have been used to treat whooping cough and rheumatism and stiffness in joints and muscles.
5. Heavyweight winner! A joint made of ash is said to be able to bear more weight than any type of wood. It’s a great source of firewood too, with its name deriving from the word ‘firelight’.
Rachel Giles, Learning Manager for Forestry Commission England commented “We want to lead the way in engaging people of all ages with how amazing trees are and what an important role they play in our lives. A huge variety of tree species grow in the nations’ forests. They are beneficial for peoples’ health, provide numerous habitats for wildlife and are used to make all sorts of everyday products. We hope our new campaign will inspire everyone to discover more about the wonderful world of trees.”
Forestry Commission England manages around 20% of the England’s woodland for people, wildlife and timber. We currently harvest approximately 1.4 million cubic metres of timber a year which is used for buildings, fencing, furniture, wood fuel and more.
For more information visit https://www.forestry.gov.uk/treeexplorer