Hidden dividends from Woodland Co-op

Tree planting in the Spodden Valley

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Visitors judging Rochdale's Township in Bloom entry this Monday will learn of a new project that hopes to start a quiet revolution in promoting areas of community orchards, green space and wildlife habitats around our town.

For over a year, volunteers have been liaising with various landowners, community groups and Rochdale Council to identify areas of public open space for small community orchards and wild flower planting.

Several areas have already been planted close to the route to be used by judges of the North West in Bloom competition visiting Rochdale early next week.

These include Spotland and Meanwood Primary Schools, Matthew Moss and Whitaker Moss schools and Springfield Park, Broadfield Park, various sites in the Spodden valley and by Moss Row allotments in Norden village.

The original plan was inspired by meetings organised in 2010 by Rochdale Earth Cafe.

Several planting sites were identified by local people that have now been planted with a variety of fruit trees. These and other sites have also been seeded with a variety of indigenous meadow flowers to help promote butterfly habitats and bee pollination.

Rochdale has for years been a quiet pioneer of food and wildlife planting - as seen with the Hour Glass project commended by the North West in Bloom judges last year.

Rochdale Woodland Co-op co-ordinator Jason Addy said: “This is about people power - 21st century diggers promoting local projects that bring communities together for a common good.

“It would be a wonderful prospect if in years to come local people have the opportunity to access open amenity land and benefit from free fruit whilst walking along urban green corridors with wildflowers.

“As the birthplace of the modern co-operative movement, Rochdale is the ideal place to nurture the concept of woodland cooperatives that promotes community orchards. Pardon the pun but it would be great to have branches everywhere!”