MORE than 2,000 trees have been planted in Hampshire by 80 local volunteers as part of a national scheme.

In Foxbury, a National Trust site, volunteers including school pupils, Scout groups and those as far as the Isle of Wight came out in force to plant oak, sweet chestnut and alder trees.

Foxbury, in East Wellow, is part of a £2.89million Heritage Lottery Fund project for a partnerships scheme which aims to protect the heritage for the New Forest and surrounding areas.

Its heathland habitats and native woodland means that the Trust hopes to foster a ‘close relationship’ with local communities by involving residents in the scheme to plant the trees.

Jacob White, community ranger said: “It was great to see so much support from such a mix of people and ages, all coming together to complete vital conservation work. Thank you to all involved!

“With over 13,000 trees planted in the last three years, we had an ambitious target to plant over 2,000 trees this winter, which we have already smashed! Tree planting is a great way to involve people of all ages in our conservation work; we hope many of them will return to see their trees become a thriving woodland for wildlife.”

Foxbury is home to more than 22,000 trees, with organisers of the scheme hoping people will return to see what they have planted.

Community members including those from Thornden School and 25 Scouts also took part.

It is part of the ‘Our Past, Our Future’ project run by the National Trust, which is supported by the lottery funding, and is undertaking a range of projects across the country to develop forest skills and inspire new generations of conservationists to care for the New Forest.

The five year scheme is being led by the New Forest National Park Authority, working alongside delivery and funding partners, including the National Trust.