Last updated at 19:34, Thursday, 28 June 2012

Four pupils from West Cumbria filled in for royalty by planting the first tree in Cumbria’s Diamond Wood.

DIGGING IN: Aidan McFarland and Zak Alton, of Broughton Moor Primary School, and Morgan Scales and Aaron Lawson, of Broughton Primary School, plant the first tree in Cumbria’s Diamond Wood on the Derwent Forest site

His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester was scheduled to plant the first tree in the 1,050-acre Derwent Forest site at Broughton Moor, but bad weather meant his helicopter wasn’t able to land in Kendal.

Two pupils from Broughton Moor Primary School and two from Broughton Primary School stepped into the breach and planted the first of 42,000 mixed native trees to go into the 60-acre Woodland Trust scheme.

Nigel Catterson, Derwent Forest consortium chairman, said: “The Diamond Wood is a part of our plan. We have got 200 acres of woodland and we want 400 acres.

“This is the first real tangible thing on the site. It feels like the first step on a new journey. Now we are on our way.”

The rest of the planting will take place between December and March and may run over two seasons.

There are plans for 10 local schools to help plant the trees.

Aaron Lawson, nine, of Broughton Primary School, who was one of the tree planters, said: “It was awesome. I was excited to find out I was planting the tree but disappointed not to meet the duke.”

The Woodland Trust is running a scheme to plant 60 diamond woods in the UK to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The 60-acre wood will be located at the west end of Derwent Forest, near Camerton.

The Derwent Forest site – the biggest brownfield area in the North West – was leased to Derwent Forest Developments Consortium by Allerdale council and Cumbria County Council in December last year.

The consortium will work with Story Homes to redevelop the land while keeping the existing wilderness and enhancing it.

It wants to sell off 20 house building plots around the edge of the site to provide funding to start other work, which could include the building of a green hotel, an organic farm, festival site and solar farm.

The consortium is working to overcome issues surrounding mineral rights for the site, which currently prevent any building work being done.

First published at 19:24, Thursday, 28 June 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk