Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership has planted a forest of 43 young trees after pledging to plant one tree for every passenger aboard their recent Climate Awareness Train.
The Climate Awareness Train, held earlier this year, departed from Wickford Station and travelled to North Fambridge for an hour-long guided walk through the Blue House Farm Nature Reserve and around the Sea Wall, before ending up at the local village hall for refreshments.
The event also included a talk by the Essex Climate Action Commission, providing insight into how people can work together to tackle climate change. Essex County Council were also on hand, giving out free activity packs for families to help raise awareness of the climate emergency to children.
The event was supported by Greater Anglia, Essex Path to Prosperity, Essex County Council and the Essex Forest Initiative.
Jayne Sumner, rail engagement officer for Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership, said: “Our first Climate Awareness Train was a great success, providing information about how we can all change things in our daily lives to make a difference and help the planet.
“We were delighted to have the support of the Essex Forest Initiative because it means the event has had a lasting legacy of many more trees growing which will help lock up carbon, improve air quality, encourage biodiversity, and reduce flooding in the county.”
Senior forestry and woodland officer at Essex County Council, Tom Moat, said: “Tree planting will play an important part in our actions against climate change and whilst plenty more needs to be done to reduce emissions in the first place, the opportunity to engage with Essex residents about the benefits of tree planting is vital in our mission to make Essex cleaner and greener.”
Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s customer and community engagement manager, said: “Rail has a huge part to play in a greener future as it is one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport.
“Our brand-new trains contribute to this even further as they are greener than our old ones, and we are also increasing biodiversity at stations across our network with the help of our station adopter volunteers who are dedicating large areas of station gardens to wildlife.”
Find out more about the work of Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership on their website here.
