It has taken Bolton Lever Rotary Club six years to reach this milestone. The club began this project back in 2015 and over that time have planted trees in several areas of Bolton including Captain’s Clough, Moss Bank Park and Doffcocker Lodge.
The Mayor and her team showed a keen interest in the project and felt that our work would have a lasting legacy for the Bolton area. She told us that Bolton Council is also committed to planting many more trees across the borough.
Woodland areas help to clean the air, prevent flooding and protect against climate change with the added benefit of providing spaces for people to enjoy, promoting both physical and mental well-being. The Woodland Trust supplies packs of native tree species such as hawthorn, blackthorn, rowan, crab apple, hazel, dog rose to community groups. Planting these increases the biodiversity by creating homes for many types of plant, insects, birds and other wildlife. We have worked closely with Tree and Asset Officer for Bolton Council, Andy Grundy, who has allocated planting sites and said “Woodland enrichment planting would provide for a new generation of trees and shrubs to maintain the woodland environment for both wildlife and people.”
Club President Aruna Mene said " Our members love making a practical difference in the community and are also keen to interest a new generation in protecting the environment”. Chair of Astley Bridge Junior Football club Paul Robinson said that the club hopes to further develop the area off Stapleton Avenue in a sustainable way as a community resource. He feels it is important to offer their young members opportunities to learn about wildlife and the environment as well as honing their football skills.
Rotary International have recently made ‘Supporting the Environment’ a new area of focus, aiming to conserve and protect the natural world. Bolton Lever Rotary Club members look forward to continuing this, and other projects, which improve the environment for our Bolton community and would love to hear from other groups or individuals with the same aims. If you'd like to find out more about the club’s activities you can find them on facebook.com/BoltonLever or www.boltonrotary.org.uk