Park gets new bark

Parkfield in Potters Bar is set to get more than 1,000 new trees and you can get involved and plant for free.

A number of existing trees and sections of scrub have been removed along the boundary with the bus depot and industrial units and will be replanted with 18 standard oaks as well as more than a thousand alder, field maple, birch, beech and wild cherry trees.

Cllr Jean Heywood, environment portfolio holder, explained: "A number of old trees and vegetation have been removed as the plants were diseased, dead or had a limited future. Starting on Monday the whole area will be transformed.

"The work forms part of our on-going maintenance and improvement works at all our parks in the borough and as the new trees grow they will become fantastic centre pieces for the future and help to enhance the natural environment."

The planting is being supported by the Friends of Potters Bar Parks and different local groups are also getting involved, such as the 4th and 5th Potters Bar scouts groups.

And on Sunday 21 March you too can get involved and plant a tree for free!

Doreen Scivyer, from the Friends of Potters Bar Parks, said: "We do hope people will come along and get involved in this final section of planting. Even better, why not bring the whole family and together create something of which you can truly be proud and which will benefit people for generations to come."

If you would like to be involved just turn up - in your scruffy clothes - at 10am on Sunday 21 March at Parkfield in Potters Bar. Countryside Management Service (CMS) is lending tools to enable planting to go ahead so you don't have to take a spade as they will be provided, but if you are able to that will be helpful.