3,000 trees to be planted in Oundle’s Jubilee Wood

Around 3,000 English trees across three acres will be planted in the wood which will be located just off New Road, opposite the Recreation Ground. The trees will consist of beech, wild cherry, silver birch, alder, willow and conifer, as well as English oak saplings which have been nurtured from acorns by an Oundle School pupil as part of an ambitious Remembrance initiative.

The currently unused land belongs to The Worshipful Company of Grocers, one of the oldest and most prestigious companies in the city of London. The Grocers’ Company, as it is commonly known, has supported Oundle School since its foundation in 1556.

The project is being spearheaded by the current Master of the Grocers, Tim Coleridge, who is passionate about preserving the environment and increasing biodiversity. Costing around £35,000, it is being funded through a mixture of fundraising and grants, with pupils and staff at both Oundle School and Laxton Junior School (LJS) helping with the first acre of planting on 20th March.

The remaining two acres will be planted later in the year. A path with open access will be maintained through the wood and along to the riverside, enabling a potential link up with Oundle Town Council’s Snipe Meadow Boardwalk.

In addition to the wood, repair work will be undertaken to gates and fencing, ensuring better protection for the wetland area. This in turn will be scraped in the summer with specialist machinery in order to increase its attraction to birdlife and snipe. Mr Coleridge commented: “The idea came about as I went for a walk through the fields during a visit to Oundle for a governors’ meeting. I knew the Grocers owned the land but little was being done to increase its biodiversity potential or to make it attractive to walkers. Woodland is so important for the environment and this gave me the impetus to create a space for everyone to enjoy and for local wildlife to thrive in. Throughout the project, we have liaised with Natural England, the Forestry Commission and the Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust, with the trust being particularly helpful in supporting us to keep pathways open and make a better experience for people.”

The wood will be named the Grocers’ Jubilee Wood and is being put forward as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. Once fully planted, the site will host a commemorative plaque indicating that the wood was created as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.