Volunteers help plant new redwood grove in Ketton
Heidelberg Materials colleagues support Ketton Green Spaces as part of paid volunteering day
TWELVE colleagues from Heidelberg Materials UK's Land and Mineral Resources (LMR) team have helped Ketton Green Spaces plant a new redwood grove in Ketton village.
Working alongside local volunteers, they planted 16 trees within an existing woodland on the company’s landholding, including 10 new giant redwoods funded by Ketton cement works.
Volunteers also planted 1,600 spring bulbs in the main roadside grass verges around the village and inspected 100 previously planted trees on the Scout field at Pit Lane to check on their condition.
Mark Page, Heidelberg Materials UK’s land and minerals manager, said: ‘Our team was delighted to support Ketton Green Spaces and help plant the trees as their paid volunteering day.
‘In the coming years, the woodland will become accessible to the public with the creation of a permissive path alongside Empingham Road, which forms part of our proposals to extend Grange Top Quarry and will allow residents and visitors to enjoy the groves.’
Heidelberg Materials revised their Grange Top Quarry extension plans to address concerns raised by consultees during Rutland County Council’s extensive public consultation, and the updated plans will protect one of Ketton’s historic redwood groves.
‘We understand that the redwoods are a much-appreciated part of the local landscape and are pleased to see the community and our LMR team working together to contribute to the projects that matter most to the community,’ said Mr Page.
Dr Jay Naylor, volunteer with the Ketton Green Spaces group, added: ‘In planting a new redwood grove in Ketton, we honour the contribution of the Burroughes family, who first planted many of the existing redwoods and other trees throughout the village over a 100 years ago.
‘These giant redwoods have instilled in me a love of trees and green spaces, and I hope this new grove will similarly inspire future generations.’
