Dartmoor National Park Authority

9 December 2009

Environmental World Record attempt by local young people on Dartmoor

Young people from the Youth Open Space International Club teamed up with the Dartmoor National Park Authority, and groups throughout the UK, to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the ‘Greatest number of trees planted in a single hour’ during National Tree Week. The 10 young people planted the target of 75 trees in an hour in Smiths Wood on the edge of Dartmoor.

Javid Haydari 17, who had helped organise the session said:

‘It was great working as a team; despite the rain! It was good so many of the boys got up on a Saturday to help.'

Willem Montagne, Dartmoor National Park Authority Education Officer, said:

‘It was a tremendous effort and it was reassuring to see how well the trees were planted.'

Dr Suaad Genem-George from the Devon Race Equality Council, who supports the group, said:

‘We are so grateful to Dartmoor National Park Authority for making this happen. Before the event hardly any of the group, if any, had planted a tree, let alone been to Dartmoor!’

The Dartmoor planting was just one of a number of events on Dartmoor and Exmoor facilitated by the Mosaic Project, which works with groups who face barriers in accessing National Parks.

Ends

For more information and photos please contact:

Mosaic Project Officer, David Rolls: 07935 099 462

Mosaic Programme Manager, Nina Arwitz: 020 7924 4077 ext. 227.

Or visit: http://www.mosaicnationalparks.org/ (external link, opens new window)

Notes to editors

1. Mosaic is a national project that aims to build sustainable links between young people, as well as ethnic minorities, and the National Parks. It is a partnership between the Campaign for National Parks, the Youth Hostels Association and the 9 organisations that help look after the National Parks in England: the Broads Authority, Dartmoor National Park Authority (NPA), Exmoor NPA, Lake District NPA, New Forest NPA, North York Moors NPA, Northumberland NPA, Peak District NPA and the Yorkshire Dales NPA.  Mosaic is funded by Natural England through Access to Nature as a part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme. Access to Nature has provided £932,314 toward this £1.7 million project, with match funding from Nationwide Building Society, Defra and the partners themselves.
2. 6 Nations were represented at the tree planting.
3. The event was supported by Devon County Council, Teignbridge District Council and the Forestry Commission.
4. Further information on the work of the Race Equality Council can be found at: www.devonrec.org.uk (external link, opens new window).
5. Photographs available upon request.
6. Young people were drawn from across Devon with a focus on Barnstaple, Exeter, Plymouth and Bideford.

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Page updated 8 December 2009