Private School News

A tree to be planted by every pupil at Rendcomb College

Every pupil at Rendcomb College is to plant a tree in the woods surrounding the school as part of an initiative set in motion earlier this year by our environmental committee under the leadership of our environmental co-ordinator, Michelle Lucas. Working with Pete Cairns our Works Manager and Will Wilkinson, Forestry Consultant from Charlton Abbotts Forestry Ltd, plans were drawn up to get the tree planting up and running. Rendcomb is blessed with over 100 acres of woodland and parkland and as part of an ongoing programme which will last many years, areas have been cleared as part of the process of continuous regeneration of the woods. Having removed some poorer formed and suppressed trees and undergrowth to create an “open window” in the canopy, pupils planted young Field Maple, Ash and Hazel trees (officially known as “whips”), protecting them with tree shelters, as the first stage in the planting programme. The aim is for all pupils at Rendcomb to have planted a tree in the woodland before they leave the school as part of our aim to encourage them to reduce their carbon footprint. Will Wilkinson, who is a former pupil at Rendcomb, remembered planting trees in the park during his time at the school and said “This was a great way of assisting continued regeneration of the woodland”.

We also plan to make our own charcoal, using specially designed charcoal burners which will be fed by wood from the older trees which have been removed. Pupils at the school will be involved in this process, particularly as the barbecue season approaches!