Staff and students take part in Defra's Big Tree Plant

The group planted 120 trees, provided by Perrie Hale Nursey in Honiton, in the tree canopy near the Community Garden and to the rear of the sports pitches on the Streatham campus. Alders, silver birches, rowen, goat willow, hawthorn and hazel whips were planted as part of the Defra and Alcoa Foundation funded project, the Big Tree Plant.

The event was held with support from Devon Wildlife Trust as part of the Exeter Wild City project. The Exeter Wild City Project aims to enhance, extend, connect and create valuable green spacesranging from the River Exe corridor and Valley Parks to churchyards and back gardens. This will allow wildlife to thrive throughout the city and provide opportunities for residents to enjoy and experience wildlife in their daily lives. The project is delivered through a partnership between Devon Wildlife Trust and Exeter City Council and works with many organisations throughout the city. 

Exeter Wild City received £14,500 from Defra’s Big Tree Plant scheme and £2,500 from the Alcoa Foundation to help deliver projects in the city. Between 2012 and 2015 Exeter Wild City aims to plant at least 3,115 trees across the city on public and privately owned land and within school and University grounds. This will provide important habitats to help wildlife move through the city and create attractive public spaces for people to enjoy. Almost 2,000 trees have been planted over the last month already as part of this project.

Karen Gallagher, the University's Sustainability Manager said; 'this is a fantastic project which brings students and staff together to enhance biodiversity on our campus. Projects like this are vital in delivering our Biodiversity Enhancement Plan'.