Broadwater playground
Popular playground Broadwater park, Godalming has no tree shade in the afternoon and as the climate crisis brings us increased heat spikes and hotter summers, playgrounds without shade are unusable in the hottest part of the day.
So, on a sunny February Wednesday, we planted seven trees for shade at Broadwater playground with the Broadwater school eco council.
This community tree planting event was an educational workshop, and having already worked with this eco-council, we know they’re knowledgable and passionate about making a difference to the environment at a local level. We love planting with children and young people, envisaging our focus on the next generation inspires them to live more harmoniously with nature. Activities like these also address the increase of climate anxiety in children in the UK.
Playgrounds and parks are crucial to families, providing children with a safe space to have fun, develop physically, enhance social skills, build confidence, creativity and perseverance. Active, unstructured play helps with negative emotions. It’s free, healthy fun for all the family, where adults have the chance to meet up with other caregivers. So it’s important families can access them year-round.
We have been planning these projects for more than a year, working out the permissions with Waverley Borough council, and making the species choices with the Principal Arboricultural Officer and other tree officers.
Crucial to this project, trees act as a natural air conditioner – through the process of evapotranspiration they draw heat away from air and surfaces and release water vapor into the atmosphere, creating a space that can be 7°c cooler than areas in direct sunlight. As well as reducing urban heat, the trees we plant will also absorb carbon, reduce flooding, increase biodiversity and create habitats for wildlife.
Additionally, as well as improving the aesthetics, the trees will provide people with social and health benefits such as filtering air and noise pollution, reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, increased feelings of wellbeing, inspiring children, and reducing stress.
Waverley borough council will be responsible for watering and maintaining the trees. There are several mature and ancient trees nearby who’s complex root and mycorrhizal network will also take care of these newly planted trees, ensuring, with us, that they grow to maturity.
Massive thanks to the students for being excellent tree planters and to Waverley, Surrey and Godalming Councils for being such great partners ensuring delivery of the project!
These trees will soon provide shade so that this playground is usable year-round, even on the hottest days, to ensure play continuity. Families will be able to keep active thanks to the shade the trees provide, protecting the most vulnerable members of our community, from the youngest toddlers to their older grandparents.
Combe Rd recreation ground
On an equally sunny Saturday in March we planted five trees at Combe Rd recreation ground where previously there were no trees at all.
Three-quarters of UK children spend less time outside than prison inmates, according to 2016 survey conducted by Persil. The time playing in parks, wood and fields by children has dramatically dropped off in recent years. The report found that a fifth of the children did not play outside at all on an average day, with parents citing their children have fewer opportunities to play outside than they did when young. Roots for the Future wants to help rectify this by ensuring we can help create cool outdoor play areas.
On this glorious spring day local residents and Waverley Borough Council and Godalming Town Council councillors came out to help get these quite big trees into the ground.
These trees will over the coming years start to provide the playground with essential shade so that children can continue to play outside, even on the hottest days.
Our events bring people together to make a positive difference to their environment and their own lives. We believe when people plant trees together, it strengthens communities and helps them feel empowered in the fight against the climate crisis.
This wonderful initiative was made possible with funding from all three local authorities – Godalming, Waverley and Surrey County Council. Many thanks to everyone for coming out, with particular thanks to the Tree officers and ward councillors who helped make the planting happen.
The trees are safely inside urban tree guards and we’d love park users and rec neighbours to keep an eye on them. Waverley will be watering these trees as well in summer months.
