Herefordshire school working alongside Duchy of Cornwall to restore parts of woodland
Over 3,000 new trees are being planted at Brampton Hill Wood, with pupils at Madley Primary School teaming up with the Duchy of Cornwall to lend them a hand with the project
A Herefordshire school has teamed up with the Duchy of Cornwall in a bid to help restore a section of woodland in the county.
The project aims to replant over 3,000 trees at Brampton Hill Wood which was damaged by storms in December 2024.
Both the Duchy, which is Prince William's estate, and Madley Primary School, have a long-standing relationship, working together through the Forest School initiative for 15 years, with the Duchy allowing the woodland to be used a Forest School site.
As part of the Forest School curriculum, pupils have been helping out the Duchy’s forestry team, learning how trees are planted and how woodland is restored and managed following storm events.
Madley Primary School headteacher Lee Batstone said it has really benefited the children and they've learned so much from it.
"The actual part where all the trees blew down is our old forest school site, so actually we've got an attachment to that," he said.
"The children are aware of how woodlands work, so we talk about it your guests there and it's about a connection to education but also future work and potentially future forestry.
"So when the Duchy invited us to be part of it, it's linked to the curriculum but it's also about giving something back in terms of environmental education as well."
The work is being funded by the Duchy of Cornwall as part of its ongoing woodland management and restocking scheme.
It's also part of a wider tree planting programme by the Duchy in the county, which has seen over 17,000 trees restocked across Herefordshire this year.
On the project with the school, head of forestry at the Duchy of Cornwall Ben Anderson said: “Our woodland is a precious part of the Duchy’s estate, playing an important role in supporting biodiversity, capturing carbon and contributing to our long-term net zero ambitions.
"Restoring areas affected by storm damage is a core part of how we manage resilient and productive woodlands, and we are continually learning from these events and trialling approaches to help strengthen woodlands against future storms.
“As part of the Duchy’s commitment to providing communities with good access to nature, we have been delighted to work with Madley Primary School on this project and their wider Forest School programme.
"Involving pupils directly in woodland restoration helps build a lasting understanding of how these landscapes are cared for, and why long-term stewardship is so important.”
Norway spruce was previously planted at the site but it's now being restocked with Douglas fir with an aim to improve long-term resilience.
The fir is considered to be more 'wind-firm and productive', which helps to strengthen the woodland against future storm events, while also reducing vulnerability to pests and disease that increasingly affect spruce species.
Oak trees that survived the storm have been retained, with a small number of additional trees also felled to create a more wind-firm woodland edge, while trees that were damaged got harvested early last year, with the woodland then prepared over the summer months ahead of replanting during the current planting season.