Volunteers helped plant 600 trees yesterday as part of a Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games legacy project.

The Tiny Forest at Junction Road, Stourbridge, is one of five to be planted across the borough and one of 72 to be planted across the West Midlands in partnership with Severn Trent and Earthwatch Europe to mark Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

2,400 trees will be planted across the four borough sites, with one successful planting already having taken place yesterday (21 Feb) at Quarry Park, Gornal.

Volunteers from the local community are being encouraged to join forces with Severn Trent and Dudley Council to plant four Tiny Forests across Dudley and Stourbridge in celebration of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. There are still two more sessions planned for this week, at Netherton Park on Thursday 24 February and Bank Street in Brierley Hill on Friday 25.

Places can be booked on Eventbrite for the Netherton Park and Bank Street planting sessions. 

As Birmingham 2022’s Official Nature & Carbon Neutral Supporter, Severn Trent, supported by environmental charity Earthwatch Europe, is creating 72 tennis-court-sized Tiny Forests to boost access to green space in urban areas and increase regional resilience against environmental issues, such as flooding, heat stress and nature loss.  Severn Trent’s Forest delivery manager, Ricky Dallow, said:

"It’ll be fantastic to be in Dudley and Stourbridge and play a role in 2,400 trees being planted across four sites.

"The sense of achievement as we work our way across the region planting these Tiny Forests is incredible and we’d encourage any locals who’d like to come to one of the sites and help plant a few trees to sign up.

"As a company that takes care of one of life’s essentials, we’re committed to making a positive impact on the communities and the environment where we live and work and these small, but mighty, Tiny Forests are set to become a real asset to the region, as well as playing a key role in the legacy of the Games.

Environmental charity, Earthwatch Europe, will be supporting Severn Trent in the delivery of the Tiny Forests, which will see 600 native trees planted densely in each tennis court sized plot of land, helping to maximise the biodiversity benefits per square metre of land.   

The Queen’s Green Canopy, a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee in 2022, will also benefit from the project, with the trees planted all contributing to the Queen’s Green Canopy map.  

Further information on volunteering for upcoming planting days in Dudley and Stourbridge can be found here.