THE first trees in a new community woodland will be planted by residents of Escrick on Sunday, December 2.

The scheme marks the beginning of a project to create the largest area of new woodland in the district, covering more than nine hectares of former arable land.

Three Hagges Jubilee Wood, on the Escrick Park Estate, will recreate an ancient woodland, with traditional flood-plain meadows and dozens of species of native wild flowers and fine grasses.

The project, sponsored by Persimmon Homes Yorkshire, is the brainchild of Rosalind Forbes Adam and her son Beilby, 25.

Rosalind said: “This will be a wood with a difference. The problem with most new woodlands is that the focus is very much on the tree planting and little thought goes into managing the diversity of plant life on the ground.

“I want to make sure that Three Hagges Wood is not only a beautiful place for residents to visit but also supports a diverse range of wildlife, which is why every species of plant has been selected for its value to birds, small mammals, bees, butterflies and other wildlife.”

A blog to chart the creation and progress of the new woodland and meadow is available at threehaggesjubileewood.org.uk