As part of our community co-produced planting programme in Alum Rock, we were delighted to form a partnership with The Washwood Heath Academy Sixth Form working with them to plant up new street trees in Alum Rock and also on their school grounds.

We were initially connected to Miss Khan, head of sixth form, getting to learn about the litter picks and street care activity the sixth form pupils were involved in and how they were wanting to explore getting more street trees planted in order to improve the local climate and environment. A perfect partnership.

We met to plant up a lovely sweetgum tree (which our research shows is the most successful at establishing on Birmmingham streets). The pupils were brilliant, being involved in all aspects of the planting including the fixing of the cage onto the tree.

Travelling over to the school, we then planted together a ginkgo, paulownia and tulip, after collective discussions around the importance of trees in cities, and especially one as urbanised as Birmingham, and the power of being able to make positive environmental change in our places.

We learned together too about the rich histories of the trees we were planting, native to North America and China and the historic uses of them and folklore attached: tulip trees, native to north America, were often used to make canoes from due to their long straight bodies, earning the name canoe tree, their height connected to symbolisms around them, seen as intermediatories between the earth and the sky.

It was a complete pleasure to work with the pupils, with all their care and commitment, and we look forward to continuing to connect with Washwood Heath Academy to support ongoing care for the trees planted.