Eight young oak trees awaiting forever homes in the local community
Green-fingered activist Alexander Glasgow is looking for local community groups to provide forever homes for some oak trees that arrived in a larger amount and a bigger size than expected.
He made the order for what he thought was going to be a handful of five or six inch saplings but instead received 20 juvenile bare root specimens about six feet tall.
Mr Glasgow pointed out that the oak bare roots will be a bit more challenging than the 200 saplings that can easily be popped in as part of his plans to create a Queen's Green Canopy (QGC) over the area to mark Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee this year.
Although eligible for the QGC, the young oaks are not part of the Woodland Trust packs and were purchased separately.
"Thurso and the far north could do with more oaks," he said. Mr Glasgow knows of a few specimens in the area and will be volunteering with the Woodland Trust in identifying acorns so would be interested to know where others are.
To make sure none of the new delivery is lost he has been busy heeling in all the bare root trees at the allotment where they are awaiting their forever homes. "At worst, I could plant them in large pots and transfer elsewhere in autumn," said Mr Glasgow.
He has already reached out to the schools in the Thurso side, with a number expressing an interest in taking one of the oaks, however, there are at least eight still awaiting their forever homes.
Mr Glasgow is keen for any other community groups keen on taking a tree to get in touch via his email – alexanderglasgow.foi@gmail.com – or through Facebook at facebook.com/caithness.manifesto
He is also in the process of arranging a working party to plant the large number of mixed tree saplings for the QGC, focusing on the boating pond area in Thurso. Anyone else who would like to help with this project should get in touch with Mr Glasgow.
Meanwhile the activist's petal-powered fundraising has started to make Thurso 2022 "bloomin' marvellous" through hanging baskets and more, helped by donations from Thurso Community Café through food-based events.