Got 599 Problems, But Pulling Up A Birch Ain't One

8 Goodgymers helped their local community in Haringey
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Haringey

Wednesday 4th October 2023

Report written by Euclides Montes

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8 Goodgymmers went on the pull tonight at the White Hart Rec Tiny Forest Project as they helped weed and prune this small sliver of green in North London.

Making The Best Forest Impressions

A warm welcome to Raj, Louise, and Michelle who joined us for their first ever GGHaringey task. They were amazing and slotted into the GGH madness without a minute of hesitation. Hope we haven't scared you away!

What is this? A forest for ants?

Michelle L, the Parks and Greenspace Volunteering Officer for Haringey Council, approached us with an invitation from Michael from the Friends of Woodside Park to come and help them look after their Tiny Forest in White Hart Rec. Needless to say, that was the kind of invitation we couldn't possibly say no to and our 8 Goodgymmers all made their way to the site on an unseasonably mild but dark October evening (mind you, one of our GGH's shared jackets made its first outing of the season as one of its unnamed regular thermosensitive customers got a bit chilly).

Anyway, once on site, we were briefed on the history of the Tiny Forest as well as the species of trees planted a year ago to create this lovely 600-trees-deep forest in the middle of the Rec. Our mission for the evening was to free up the roots of the small saplings from a multitude of weeds without pulling up any of the young trees in the dark. Hilarity ensues.

Having said that, our Goodgymmers were meticulous in their pulling and managed to spend an hour in the pitch black without pulling up any trees (full disclosure, Gramps did act as a makeshift human lamppost for the evening so it wasn't completely dark but it was certainly ill-lit at best). Or, at least, that's what we thought - until Michael from the Friends of Woodside Park started waving a young oak at us that had been pulled in error. After an emergency replanting session, we prayed to the Tiny Forest gods and are pleased to say that we think all's well.

After an hour's honest work, our Goodgymmers packed up their things, took the customary group selfie, and then set off home with a few more smiles in their pockets than when they arrived. Boom.

Join us next week for more fun and games.


Session Leader
This task supported
Tiny Forest @ White Hart Rec
SUPER TINY, SUPER POWERFUL... AND MORE THAN JUST TREES

Tiny Forest brings the benefits of a forest right into the heart of our cities and urban spaces. Earthwatch planted the UK’s first Tiny Forest in the UK in 2020. Since then the movement has grown to over 200 forests, bringing together communities, public sector and businesses. Tiny Forest is more than just trees. This amazing phenomenon reconnects people with nature, enhances wellbeing, helps mitigate the impacts of climate change and provides nature-rich habitat patches to support urban wildlife.

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Attendees
Lucy Thomas
Raj Tastic
Rosa Rendon
Michelle
Charlie Linton
Nurjehan
Julie Fisher
Euclides Montes
Join us on our next session

Haringey

Setting up community event
🗓Saturday 7:30am

Market and Parkrun will be able to go ahead on time

Latoya Stephens
One GoodGymer is going

Discuss this report
Nurjehan

Thu 5th Oct 2023 at 11:26am

That was a productive task. It really is tiny, hard to imagine 600 trees are planted there. Errm, methinks Michelle did her second task with Haringey. I'll forgive your confused mind: champagne corks?! Oh and by the way you can light up our lives with or without the post.

Euclides Montes

Thu 5th Oct 2023 at 11:52am

Alright, alright. Jeez. 🤪😅

Jack Da Silva

Mon 9th Oct 2023 at 10:18am

Really great to see this, well done everyone!

Michelle

Wed 11th Oct 2023 at 8:42pm

Haha it was indeed my second task with haringey but first one with the fearless leader of Euclides!