The local community is invited to help HI Trees in its efforts to restore the ‘green gateway’ to Histon and Impington.
Each year, Community Tree Care Day takes place at the field recently named Roundabout Wood, to weed and care for the trees that were planted to restore the area after the expansion of the A14.
This year’s event takes place on Saturday 19 April from noon, and organisers hope that local residents, their family and friends, as well as groups from local clubs, churches, committees and businesses will join them to help with the upkeep of the 1,400 young trees.
The 0.8 hectare-Roundabout Wood has contributed to the villages’ biodiversity target since 2019 and it is believed, in time, will be effective in reducing noise and air pollution from the A14.
Community effort
Roundabout Wood is regularly cared for by volunteers including at least 200 residents, as well as volunteers from groups including Brownies, Beavers, Woodcraft Folk and a team from AstraZeneca.
HI Trees also works with IVC’s Impington Creativity, Arts & Service (iCAS) programme which has seen five Year 9 cohorts help maintain the area each week, since September 2024.
Volunteers can join in from 12 noon to 4pm in the Chivers field near the Holiday Inn and B1049, where the popular mulch-o-meter will be back to help spread mulch around the base of the trees in an attempt to beat last year’s total of 374 trees mulched.
HI Trees’ Debbie Thomassen writes:
Following the excitement of the early community planting events, we are delighted with the on-going support from Histon and Impington and we want to continue to offer this volunteering opportunity through tree care events.
However, we still have a few years before the trees will mature to create a ‘green roof’, called a tree canopy. When this happens, it will create a dense woodland which will suppress invasive weeds which can’t grow without sunlight and will improve the shelter and protection that the trees already provide to wildlife.
Until then, as the trees are still young, the weeds are thriving, and dense waist-high nettles would prevent safe access to the trees, so the young woodland must be mowed before a community event.
This essential mowing is the principle cost of a community event, without which we would not be able to welcome residents and community groups to take part in creating this lasting legacy for the villages.
We were grateful to receive Parish Council funding enabling us to offer community engagement events to Summer 2026 including this year’s event.
We’d also love to grow the team! If you can help occasionally with IVC students on Wednesday afternoons or would like to be part of the HI Trees Team, you’re warmly welcome. No experience or expertise needed, just a ‘let’s do it’ attitude! Also, if you have a group who would like to help care for the trees, please get in touch on 07771 820356 mentioning HI Trees.
What/when/where?
When: Sunday 19 April 12 noon-4pm.
Where: Roundabout Wood; the field next to Holiday Inn, first right off the A14 (please note that there’s no parking on site).
Who: Everyone welcome including children under supervision.
What: Full instructions as well as some equipment will be provided. Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, spades, trowels, wheelbarrows, buckets and a drink, and to wear suitable shoes due to uneven ground.
For more information please see the event listing on HI HUB What’s On.
