News

• 600 trees planted at Hope Coppice in Solihull

• Tiny Forest planted at Hope Coppice follows the 9,400-tree Commonwealth Forest planted at the site in March

• Site will play an important role in leaving an environmental legacy following Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Green fingers were at the ready in Solihull as a Tiny Forest was planted to celebrate the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Thursday’s planting day saw local residents and community groups join forces with Severn Trent, Earthwatch Europe and Solihull Council to plant a Tiny Forest at Hope Coppice, with 600 trees being planted at the site.

As Birmingham 2022’s Official Nature & Carbon Neutral Supporter, Severn Trent is creating 72 tennis-court-sized Tiny Forests across the region, one for each of the nations and territories competing in the Games.

Hope Coppice was the final site to be planted in the West Midlands before the milestone of 72 is reached next week in Leicester.

The initiative, supported by environmental charity Earthwatch Europe, will help to deliver a lasting legacy for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games as well as boosting access to green space in urban areas, supporting environmental education and increasing regional resilience against environmental issues such as flooding, heat stress and nature loss.  

The planting at Hope Coppice comes after 9,400 trees were planted across 15 acres at the site in March to form part of the 2,022-acre Commonwealth Forest, also in celebration of the Games.

Severn Trent’s Forest Delivery Manager, Ricky Dallow, said: “We’ve really enjoyed planting both this Tiny Forest and the Commonwealth Forest at Hope Coppice. As a company that takes care of one of life’s essentials, we’re really passionate about making a positive impact on the communities and the environment where we live and work and these Tiny Forests are going to be a real asset to the Midlands.”

Jess Fidler, Head of Sustainability at Birmingham 2022 said: “Following on from the planting last month as part of the Commonwealth Forest, it’s amazing to see even more trees planted as part of a Tiny Forest and see it come to life. Whilst small in size, these Tiny Forests will make a big impact to people in Solihull and we all look forward to experiencing these nature-rich green spaces across the Midlands that future generations will enjoy.”

Earthwatch Europe, the environmental charity pioneering the Tiny Forest movement in the UK, is supporting Severn Trent in the delivery of the Tiny Forests, which can attract over 500 animal and plant species within the first three years of planting.     

Maria Pontes, Programmes and Partnerships Director at Earthwatch said: “This partnership with Severn Trent is hugely exciting for Earthwatch. Tiny Forest – and the work we do alongside it to inspire school children through outdoor education – offers exciting ways of bringing communities together and connecting thousands of people with the nature on their doorstep. We are delighted to play a role in building this legacy of environmental sustainability in the Midlands.”

Information on volunteering for upcoming community planting days across the region can be found here.