Have we all lost touch with trees?

Many of us have valued the time spent in our local woodlands over the past two years, but how many people can tell a Beech from an Oak, or a Willow from a Hazel?

A free trail exploring the beautiful semi-natural ancient woodland at Philips Park Local Nature Reserve in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, aims to change that.

A hidden gem within the ring road of Manchester, the tree trail at Philips Park is a calming 2km route sharing the secrets of sixteen tree species. Whether you are a beginner or a tree ID pro, there's something for everyone. The digital map and leaflet, along with tree-mendous puns, can be found on the The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside's website. It is a permanent trail with an opportunity to scan QR codes at every tree, so visitors can grow their knowledge with each visit.

The creator of the tree trail and Practical Conservation Trainee at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, Abi Cutler, said: “Time spent in the woods is so soothing and restorative, and there’s always something new to see and learn. The tree trail aims to teach visitors of all ages about the different tree species present at Philips Park while being active and enjoying the wellbeing benefits of a peaceful walk in nature. Learning to identify species can be daunting to start with, but we have designed the trail to be engaging, educational and fun for everyone!”

The tree trail has been revitalised thanks to funding from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund and in collaboration with Bury Council and Friends of Philips Park. It is a fantastic way to celebrate the work that the Philips Park team and volunteers have done to contribute to the management of the park during the last 12 months. However, woodland management needs sustained effort, and we have only started to scratch the surface!

The state of nature report from 2019 positively shared that the area of woodland in the UK is steadily increasing. However, it highlighted a significant issue that only 44% of current woodlands are managed.

Guilherme Castro, Philips Park Project Officer at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, said: “Woodlands are such an important ecosystem that not only supports numerous species of all kinds, but they also store vast amounts of carbon that are increasingly important to face both the climate and the biodiversity crisis. To better protect these complex ecosystems, we need to implement long-term sustainable woodland management to ensure the continuity and functionality of these fantastic habitats, such as the ancient woodlands that we are trying to protect and restore at Philips Park.”

The tree trail at Philips Park is launching on the 19th March, a few days before the United Nations International Day of Forests on the 21st March, recognising the importance of sustainable management of the forests we already have across the world. More details about the Tree Trail can be found by visiting www.lancswt.org.uk/philips-park-tree-trail.

This project is funded by the Government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund, accessed through the Greater Manchester Environment Fund. The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and Forestry Commission.