Youth legacy ambassadors help out at Michaelswood to support Glasgow 2014

Four of Shetland’s Young Scot Youth Legacy Ambassadors have helped plant 420 trees at Michaelswood in Aith to create a new feature to promote the sustainable legacy of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

The young ambassadors are part of a national programme that works to promote and engage the local communities in the lasting benefits of the Glasgow 2014 games. They worked with Ray and Betty Ferrie on the sustainable project in Aith.

Mr Ferrie said: “This sort of project is exactly what Michaelswood is all about, and we are delighted when the woodland interacts with the community in this way. We had a fun day with lots of good banter and fresh air, and both the young folk and the woodland benefited from the event greatly.”

The Woodland Trust Scotland provided the trees for Michaelswood. Director Carol Evans said: “We believe that life is better with trees, and the Youth Legacy Ambassadors are an inspiring example of a group of young people who are doing something practical to improve their local environment. In just a few years, the trees they have planted will enhance the landscape and provide new habitat for wildlife.

“Twenty schools and community organisations in Shetland have received free tree packs from the Woodland Trust Scotland so far this spring thanks to supporters including players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.”

The Shetland ambassadors aimed to engage other young people in the project and to raise awareness of the Commonwealth Games, by creating a competition to name the new community area.

The success of the project has led to the embassadors to commission Enviroglass, a glass recycling project, to design a plaque to commemorate the sustainable project.

Ambassador Holly King said: “We were delighted to work with Michaelswood to promote the sustainable legacy theme of Glasgow 2014. We hope that lots of children and young people visit Michaelswood over the next couple of years and enjoy the new plantation.”

Fellow ambassador Luke Smith added: “We visited Enviroglass to see how they make their environmentally-friendly products and discuss our plaque. We are really excited to see hear about the possible designs, and are counting down to unveiling it at Michaelswood.”

Michaelswood was created by Ray, Betty and Alan Ferrie in memory of their late son and brother Michael. Hundreds of trees have been planted there over the years and they have added a bird observatory, a pond, picnic areas, benches, a pirate ship to play in and even a “Philosophers Trail”.