Bài đọc 1
Volunteers in the town of Northwick have planted 10,000 trees in a single weekend, setting a new record for the region.
More than 1,200 people took part in the event, which was organised by a local environmental group called Green Northwick. Families, schools, sports clubs and local businesses all sent volunteers, and the youngest planter was a three-year-old girl who helped her father plant an oak tree.
The trees were planted on land beside the river that had been used as a rubbish tip until the 1990s. The council cleaned the site over the past two years and gave permission for the group to create a new community woodland there. The trees include oak, birch, wild cherry and hazel, all species that grow naturally in the area. The organisers chose them because they provide food and homes for local birds, insects and other wildlife.
Planting so many trees in two days required careful preparation. Holes were marked in advance, and experienced volunteers gave short training sessions every hour to show newcomers how to plant correctly. Each young tree was protected with a plastic tube to stop rabbits and deer from eating it. The tubes are made from recycled plastic and will be removed and reused when the trees are big enough.
Green Northwick says the new woodland will help to reduce flooding, because tree roots absorb water and hold the soil in place. In ten to fifteen years, it should also provide a shady place for walking and picnics.
However, the work is not finished. Young trees need regular care, especially during dry summers, and volunteers will visit the site every month to check them and remove weeds. The group expects that around one in ten trees will not survive, and these will be replaced next winter.