A MAJOR tree-planting operation got underway at Albemarle Barracks this week, with the help of some local schoolchildren.

The home of the 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, near Harlow Hill, has launched a project between the Woodland Trust and the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), called Keen and Green.

It will see them plant 200,000 trees on the airfield over a period of 10 years, and other army units across the country look set to follow suit.

This week the tree planting got under way and the trust provided the first 420 seedlings for planting. Youngsters from nearby St Andrew’s Primary School at Heddon and Stamfordham Primary School went along to help plant some of the first trees on Tuesday.

Major David Joyce said: “We have got exceptionally good links with our local schools and children from Albemarle feed into both of those schools.

“Keeping involved with the schools helps us to show children what the army is all about and build our community links which is really important to us.”

As well as helping to make the area more environmentally friendly, reducing the barracks’ carbon footprint, Major Joyce said planting the trees would also help prevent flooding issues.

More trees are planned to help stabilise the ground, as the site can suffer with run-off water during the winter. The first trees were planted on the airfield in an area called Bramble’s Copse, but other areas will see the benefit of the project over the next 10 years.

Vice-chairman of governors at St Andrew’s, Gordon Stewart, said: “3RHA have set about an ambitious project, which will leave a practical and important legacy. I am delighted to see the regiment and the community working together.”