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The Trees of Light Tree Nursery The Tree of Light Tree Nursery is located in Southowram, Halifax, West Yorkshire and consists of a 3.5 acre site used for the propagation, potting up and storage of our trees. Facilities at the tree nursery include:- A 26m x 6.5m polytunnel, which provides a safe, sheltered working environment for volunteers and school children with enough space to propagate 15,000 trees every year. Inside the polytunnel we have a paved area with potting up facilities as well as a table and benches for relaxation. The remainder of the polytunnel is partly fitted out with shelving where tree seeds are germinated. This area will be fully fitted with shelves in the future. We have a 50m x 50m outdoor tree storage area which is surrounded by rabbit - proof fencing, this area is capable of holding 2 years stock of maturing trees. We plan to build another storage area in the future. Our water supply is stored in tanks which are refilled with rain water using a water bowser which is kindly provided by Marshalls plc. (Please note that we have no fresh drinking water.) The site is approached by means of a track across an adjacent field. There is a track across our site to the polytunnel and a parking area for cars, mini buses etc. This enables wheel chair access to the polytunnel. We have limited toilet facilities and there is a small outdoor picnic area Please note that the Trees of Light Tree Nursery is not open to the general public - and visits are only by prior arrangement. View some photographs of the Trees of Light Tree Nursery. If you are interested in using our facilities or getting involved, please contact us. How and why the Tree Nursery began:- After small beginnings, growing a few oak trees from acorn at home, we rapidly filled our garden with saplings so when Trees of Light began in earnest in January 2006, we realised that the main asset required to aid our expansion was more space to grow and store trees until ready for planting out in permanent positions. In August 2007, during a visit to the ABLE project in Wakefield, we met Neil Davidson, Corporate Social Responsibility, Marshalls plc. He was interested in our work and told us that he would look for any land that was available. In October he took us to view a plot in Southowram, Halifax. The site was a refilled quarry and was subsequently to be returned to agricultural / environmental use. We later held discussions with Neil Davidson and David Smith, Operations Manager, Marshalls plc and put forward our proposals. Our aim being to use the site to erect a large polytunnel to provide an all weather working area for the Trees of Light Volunteers as well as making a safe secure area in which to invite groups who wished to be involved with the project. The groups this would be aimed at in the short term would be local schools and other groups. We talked about the logistics of this and then in March 2007 we all met with Ian Watson, Group Property Director, Marshalls plc. He gave his backing to the project and authorised us to proceed with a planning application to Calderdale Council. We applied to the Community Foundation for Calderdale, Children and Young People Fund, for a grant to cover the cost of purchase and erection of the polytunnel. This was granted in May 2007. During the year further meetings with Marshalls were held and when the planning permission was granted in December 2007, we ordered the polytunnel and construction began in the second week of January 2008. There is much work yet to do on the site before it is ready for Trees of Light Volunteers to work on. David and Cathy Sergeant organised the set up. As well as receiving support from Marshalls plc, were helped by Green Business Network, the ABLE project and many others. Since then, David and Cathy have worked to develop the site with the help of volunteers from Marshalls, Longley Special School and others. There are still many things to do to grow and improve the facilities and help is welcomed from all. View some photographs which illustrate the initial development from refilled quarry to erected polytunnel.
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