NHS Trust plants 4,000 trees to help nature and the environment around Pinderfields Hospital

The trees were gifted by NHS Forest, who support healthcare sites in transforming their green spaces to promote health, wellbeing and biodiversity.

The tree planting scheme took place over five days during March and will form a new 800 metre long boundary hedgerow around the Pinderfields Hospital fence line in Wakefield, along Bar Land and Aberford Road.

This follows on from the planting of 1,500 trees in November, as part of National Tree Week, and aims to benefit nature and the general environment in Wakefield for many years to come.

A mix of native broadleaf species were planted, with a diverse bare root sapling mix made up of beech, field maple, hornbeam, common hazel, dogwood, elder, bird cherry, crab apple, European spindle, hawthorn and guelder rose.

The planting of trees will provide a host of benefits including sequestering carbon, absorbing air pollution, helping to improve soil, decreasing surface water flood risk from over-saturated ground, enhancing security, and boosting visual amenity.

The species rich hedgerow will also provide essential food and shelter for a wide array of wildlife.

Upwards of 50 volunteers from across the Trust and the wider community helped out on each of the five days, including members of the Trust’s Executive and Board teams.

Working in small groups, volunteers dug holes in the ground and placed small tree whips in the holes, which were then filled around the trees with soil.

Len Richards, Chief Executive at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust, said: “I very much enjoyed taking part in the Trust initiative to plant trees at Pinderfields. The idea is to create something of a barrier around the perimeter next to the road, which creates a much better environment.

"Planting trees on healthcare sites improves the areas we live and work in.

"They can provide privacy and seclusion for our staff and patients, help to cool buildings, provide cleaner air and create habitats for native wildlife. There was a great sense of camaraderie amongst the team of colleagues I joined and it was particularly enjoyable to see the fruits of our labour at the end of the day.”