More than 2,000 trees are to be planted at a former nursery to create a Millennium wood.

Plans for the wood at Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford, have received a boost after winning the backing of South Oxfordshire District councillors.

Members of the council's grants committee voted to award up to £10,000 for the project. The two-acre wood will be planted on the edge of the village, at the former council tree nursery in West End.

Planting is set to begin early in the New Year. The wood will consist of a mixture of native hardwoods, such as oak, ash, beech and Scots pine. In the centre of the copse, there will be a ring of oaks with one larger tree in the middle.

The chairman of the grants committee, Alec Hayton, said the site was an eye-sore, and welcomed the environmental improvement. He said: "This is a superb idea which will improve the landscape.

"It is a wonderful statement for the Millennium and is one of the most worthwhile projects in the area." Committee member, Felix Bloomfield said: "This will bring a long-term benefit to the community and is the sort of Millennium project the council should be supporting, rather than one-off parties.

"The benefits of this could go on for centuries."

Council forestry officers said the new wood would be a valuable addition to the landscape, and would help create a wildlife "corridor" linking the area to Wittenham Clumps.

Forestry officer Martin Gammie said: "By involving the community, especially the youngsters, in such projects the council hopes to encourage a better understanding of the need to protect and sustain our natural environment." He added: "These trees will provide many with long-term memories of their past as we head into the new Millennium."

Fellow officer Andrew Nall said: "At the moment it is not a particularly attractive site, but it is a good place for a new wood."

Story date: Monday 29 November

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