A group of 38 Primary 7 pupils from Sound Primary School, Lerwick, rolled up their sleeves to assist Lerwick Port Authority with its ongoing tree planting and rewilding efforts.
Joined by four members of school staff, the pupils planted trees at Holmsgarth Brae, filling the site in record time, and even having to source extra saplings.
The range of 205 trees planted included a mixture of native and non-native hardy varieties suitable for the sloping site.
The annual initiative, delivered in partnership with Shetland Amenity Trust, provides long-term benefits for the community and environment. It helps offset Port Authority paper usage, which equates to around 12 trees a year, while the trees will capture carbon, reduce grass cutting and fossil fuel use, and reinstate greener, more natural spaces for local wildlife, creating new habitats.
Paul GoddardWoodland Team Leader at Shetland Amenity Trust“It’s brilliant to see the pupils so keen to get stuck in and help nature on their own doorstep. Projects like this show how much can be achieved when the community comes together - turning unused spaces into wildlife-friendly areas and making Shetland a greener place for everyone.”
Within the port area, the unused waste ground at Holmsgarth Brae, adjacent to a main road at the entrance to Lerwick, was unsuitable for development.
Stuart WadleyLerwick Port Authority’s HSEQ Manager“The rewilding was a great opportunity to give local pupils the chance to learn about, and connect with, their surroundings, helping to nurture the next generation of environmental champions.
“This latest tree planting builds on the Authority's commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, showing how collaboration with schools and community partners can help deliver meaningful action on climate and biodiversity across Shetland.”
Pupils also reflected on the experience, praising the chance to make a hands-on contribution to their local environment. Comments from pupils included:
"It felt good to see how many different types of Shetland trees there were."
"It felt good just to know we planted over 150 trees to help the environment."
"I really enjoyed trying to dig holes to plant the trees in."
"I loved how efficient it was to plant trees as a team."
"In the future, when we walk past or drive past there, we will know we planted those trees. It is cool to know!"
With trees planted at various locations over the years and Holmsgarth Brae now full, the Port Authority is looking ahead to identify other sites across the port area for future projects.
