High Sheriff of Clwyd visits tree nursery

Volunteers digging deep to support a biodiversity project have received a special visit.

The High Sheriff of Clwyd, Kate Hill-Trevor, recently took part in a visit to Denbighshire County Council’s local provenance tree nursery at St Asaph.

This project funded by Welsh Government through the Local Places for Nature grant, aims to provide native trees and wildflowers to support the county’s biodiversity.

Thanks to the support of volunteers who visit the site every week to help, 16,760 acorns were sown at the end of 2023, the number is in addition to 11,500 trees currently growing at the nursery which include pedunculate oak, sessile oak, sweet chestnut, silver birch, alder, wych elm and goat willow.

Once ready the trees will be planted locally to help support nature and surrounding local communities.

Volunteers have also helped staff at the site produce 13,000 wildflowers, this season, including ox eye daisy, knapweed, field scabious, selfheal, yarrow, wild carrot, red campion, bladder campion, buttercup, Birds foot trefoil and ladies bedstraw.

Wildflowers grown at the site are planted at existing meadows or local school meadow projects to help enhance areas for the benefit of nature and improve the well-being of all ages living near the sites.

Mrs Hill-Trevor, who is one of 55 High Sheriffs in England and Wales appointed by His Majesty King Charles III to represent the Sovereign in matters of law and order, toured the nursery with staff to learn how trees and plants are produced on site to support the improvement of county biodiversity.

She also took time to speak to volunteers to find out about their support for the project and what it gives back to them.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are grateful for the visit from Mrs Hill-Trevor to the tree nursery which is playing such an important role in helping us improve and boost our local biodiversity,  not just for nature but for the benefit of all of our county residents.

“I’m really pleased she was also able to meet our fantastic volunteers and learn about their support for the tree nursery as they been amazing in helping us grow this project.”