SCHOOL pupils have planted seedling oak trees in Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve in Weymouth.

Dorset County Council officers and wildlife trust wardens were on hand to show the students from Wyvern School how to plant the trees and 15 were planted during one morning.

A group of children from the Compass Centre also helped plant around 15 seedlings in the area.

The hope is that the trees will transform the existing meadow into woodland next to Weymouth Relief Road to lessen its impact.

Over the past year, members of the council’s Natural Environment Team have been growing the saplings at home from acorns collected in Two Mile Coppice.

Natural Environment Manager Dr Phil Sterling said: “By collecting the acorns from Two Mile Coppice we have ensured that the woodland is from local stock, which is important.

“We are mimicking what jays have been doing for the past two decades, where the birds have been burying acorns in the meadows near the coppice for winter food, but forgetting where they have done so. The acorns then germinate and produce oak trees.”

Dr Sterling added: “We had to cut down about 50 of these jay oaks along the line of the new road and we’re replacing them.

“It’s been a great opportunity to get local children involved in creating a space which will hopefully be used by walkers and wildlife enthusiasts for years to come.”