Join the Big Tree Plant at Napsbury Park!

A Great Way to Give Back

This is your chance to roll up your sleeves, get outdoors, and make a real difference right here in our community. Whether you come along with your family, friends, or neighbours, it’s a fun, social, and rewarding activity in the build-up to Christmas — and a great way to earn that festive drink or dessert afterwards!

No experience is needed — just enthusiasm, warm clothes, and a willingness to get your hands a little muddy. Our friendly team will be there to provide tools, guidance, and plenty of festive encouragement.

Rewilding and Hedgerow Restoration The project will enhance a small rewilded area at Napsbury Recreation Ground and establish a new hedgerow along the southern boundary. Together, these features will strengthen wildlife corridors and support a greater range of plants, birds, and pollinators.

• Wildflower meadow (750m²): A perennial wildflower mix, funded by the Environmental Improvement Grant (EIG), will be sown to encourage pollinators such as bees and butterflies. It’s expected to bloom beautifully by summer 2027, providing lasting colour and habitat.

• Woodland planting (2,700m²): Volunteers will plant a mix of native species — including hornbeam, hazel, crab apple, hawthorn, and field maple — complementing natural oak and cherry regeneration already taking root.

• Hedgerow creation (240m): A new mixed-species hedge, rich in hawthorn, hazel, dogwood, and dog rose, will strengthen the park’s southern boundary and provide shelter and food for birds and small mammals.

A lined wildlife pond will also be created nearby, providing a vital water source and habitat for amphibians, insects, and birds — and forming an exciting new educational feature for local schools and residents. Depending on volunteer numbers and uptake over the planting weekend, some early groundwork for the pond may begin at the same time. However, main construction is likely to take place in March or April 2026, during the Easter holidays, when conditions are more suitable and further community participation can be planned.

Building on the Walsingham Way Success

Following the much-celebrated Walsingham Way Rewilding Project, this new scheme takes the same successful model and expands it — with an even greater focus on schools, Guides, Scouts, and children.

It is very much hoped that London Colney’s schools, Scout and Guide groups will not only take part in the creation of this rewilded space but also in its ongoing development. Plans include installing bird boxes, bug hotels, and other nature features to support local wildlife and provide hands-on learning experiences for young people. This focus aims to inspire a new generation of environmental stewards, helping children and youth groups connect with nature, understand the importance of biodiversity, and take pride in shaping their local environment.

A Space of Legacy and Remembrance

In addition to its ecological and educational value, this rewilded area will also hold special meaning for our community. We would like to dedicate the Napsbury Park rewilding area to the memory of Daniel Day, who was tragically killed some twelve years ago on Shenley Lane.

This living landscape will stand as a place of peace, reflection, and renewal, offering a lasting tribute that honours Daniel’s memory while creating new life and growth for generations to come.

Planting for Legacy, Learning & Connection

This project is about more than just planting trees — it’s about education, legacy, remembrance, and connection. Every sapling planted contributes to the long-term rewilding of Napsbury Park, creating an outdoor classroom for children, a sanctuary for wildlife, and a peaceful green space for everyone to enjoy. Together, we’re building something that future generations will look back on with pride — a thriving natural space that brings people closer to nature and to one another.

Event Details

Location: Napsbury Park (meeting point confirmed upon sign-up)

Dates: Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th December (with Monday 15th December as a contingency day)

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (join for as long as you like)

What to bring: Warm clothes, sturdy footwear, gloves if you have them, and plenty of festive spirit!

We estimate around 200 volunteer hours will be needed across the weekend, so we’re hoping for 15–20 people each hour over the two six-hour days. Whether you can spare half an hour or the whole day, your time will make a real difference.

Ahead of the event, we’ll issue some simple guidance — through short videos and photos — to show what to expect and how to plant safely. On the day, our team will guide you through every step.

A note about young children: We warmly welcome families, but please ensure young children are supervised at all times. Cold or wet conditions may mean their attention spans are shorter than usual, so plan for regular breaks and wrap up warmly.

Comfort and refreshments: Hot drinks and mince pies will be available at Our Project HQ inside the Napsbury Park Pavilion, where you’ll also find toilet facilities and a warm space to rest between planting sessions.

An event shelter will also be set up on-site as the main meeting and congregation point for volunteers — a place to sign in, gather tools, receive guidance, and stay covered during the planting.

Equipment: If you have a spade, please label it with your name and bring it along — as well as gardening gloves (ideally older, warm ones). This will help keep the planting running smoothly and ensure everyone can take part without delay.

Photography & filming: Photos and video will be taken throughout the weekend to capture the event, celebrate our volunteers, and record the project’s progress. We’ll also gather short testimonials to showcase community involvement in future communications and for posterity.

Staying Connected To help coordinate the event, a WhatsApp group will be created for volunteers who wish to join. Consent will be required before being added to the group, which will serve as the main communication channel for updates, reminders, and guidance in the lead-up to and during the planting weekend.

It’s also hoped that this group will evolve into a legacy network of local volunteers to help water and loosely manage the rewilded area after planting — especially during hot, dry summer months — ensuring the trees and wildlife continue to thrive.

How to Get Involved

To register your interest or volunteer as a group, please register below selecting times that you can commit to, alternatively please email [email protected] or call Matt on 07595893264 with your times . Everyone is welcome — from families and community groups to individuals looking to do something meaningful this festive season.

A Legacy for Nature and Community

With the support of Countryside Management Services, MBS Grounds Management, LCPC staff, and our dedicated volunteers, we’re continuing to make Napsbury Park a space where nature and community thrive together.

“This is a wonderful way to end the year by giving something back to nature and to the community. The trees we plant together will grow into a living legacy — providing shade, beauty, and vital habitats for decades to come. It’s also a chance to learn, laugh, and connect before Christmas — and to be part of something that truly lasts.” Matt Fisher - Environment & Neighbourhood Officer

Join us for this special event, help plant the future, and leave your mark on a project that will grow and flourish for years to come.

A NOTE ON PARKING - The Pavilion at Napsbury will have NO spare parking on the Sunday owing to football matches. We ask therefore that for the Sunday only you park at the Caledon Centre car park and walk the 5 mins or so to the site in yellow. It is anticipated that our tent-style event shelter will be situated in the green rectangle on the map.

Event Location:

� what3words: ///barn.join.farmer

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2T2y4NkPwJo4qi9T9?g_st=im

It is anticipated that our tent-style event shelter will be situated in the green rectangle on the map on all three days.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher London Colney Parish Council