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Saving the Black Poplar - editorial
Black Poplar celebrates success
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Saving the Black Poplar - editorial
Location: Darlington
 As Darlington’s Black Poplar biodiversity project enters its third year, the popularity of the black poplar also continues to grow. The project aims to protect Darlington's existing trees (30 - 40) and plant 500 new trees over the next five years. The amount of publicity for the project has been tremendous, including national coverage from the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 and The Daily Telegraph, in addition to regional TV news programmes and other local press.
All over the country, groups of people are promoting the plight of Britain’s rarest native tree, helping to ensure its survival for future generations, and Darlington has been right at the heart of this activity.
Most recently Darlington’s Black Poplar project saw crowds of visitors attend a weekend celebration day, held at the end of November 2002.
The day included morning presentations, followed by an afternoon planting session of black poplar cuttings on a new Forestry Commission community woodland site at South Burdon in Darlington. This community planting was followed by a ceremonial tree planting by Darlington’s Mayor, Councillor Mrs. Doris Jones in the grounds of the Town Hall.
The presentations were given on various aspects of the project, allowing people to take away the project’s ideas and discoveries to help them establish their own black poplar projects in other areas.
Recently, the group developed a proforma system for assessing the relative merits of possible planting sites. It’s hoped this will act as a guide for the group and other organisations, ensuring the best start for their new trees. These are both available on this page.
The school black poplar nurseries which are now around 18 months old have been weeded, maintained and casualties of the summer holidays were replaced. Planting sites for these cuttings will be arranged over the coming months, and wherever possible children will plant the trees and hopefully develop strong links with their planting site.
Since the project began, the future is looking much brighter for the black poplar population, thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of volunteers. If you want to find out more about the Black Poplar project, take a look at the main project site.
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