A GROUP of 20 volunteers gathered in York earlier this month to plant trees to improve the area for future generations.

On Sunday March 15, the group of ‘Treemendous’ volunteers planted 420 new trees on University of York land, adjacent to the Grimston Bar Park and Ride and Sport Village entrance road.

Barry Otley Vice-chair of the Treemendous York group, said: “This was the start of an initiative to create tree cover and improve this very visible area for residents and visitors driving into the Park and Ride, not to mention the many people who use it for recreational walking.

“The University were only too pleased to offer up the land and had it rotavated in preparation.”

Further trees are to be planted, with some larger trees set to go in, and the perimeter bund is due to be sown down with a wildflower mix to enhance the area even more.

Mr Otley added: “It’s hoped the University will return in the Autumn and under plant with bulbs.”

The event came about as Mr Otley devised a plan with the University. Once the plan had come together, Derek Utley then secured a free community tree pack consisting of six species of native deciduous trees, from the Woodland Trust.