Our work
The Mersey Forest has been a key partner of the ‘Voices of the Future’ project which aimed to work with diverse children and young people to co-develop more hopeful, equitable, resilient treescapes of the future.
The project aimed to integrate children and young people’s knowledge, experiences, and hopes together with scientific knowledge in order to co-produce new approaches to creating and caring for resilient treescapes that benefit the environment and society.
The three-year project took place between August 2021 and July 2024 and was led by Manchester Metropolitan University, in collaboration with six other universities and other partners including the Chartered College of Teachers, Early Childhood Outdoors, Natural England, Forest Research, Manchester City of Trees, and The Mersey Forest.
The Voices of the Future project focuses on amplifying the voices of children, with the information from the project helping to shape the refresh of The Mersey Forest Plan, which is due to be published in 2025.
Children and young people, from early years through to secondary school, were co-researchers of the project, with those from traditionally marginalised groups, whose access to and inclusion in treescapes is often limited, taking part.
The Mersey Forest’s main involvement was in the latter stages of the project; in the testing and refining of the research approaches developed.
All-day workshops at Cowley International School in St Helens, engaging Year 8 students with special educational needs (SEND), were organised as part of the project.
Led by artist Steve Pool and The Mersey Forest’s Community Forester Dave Armson, along with project team members Kate Pahl and Samyia Ambreen, the workshops explore a nearby woodland area, recently enhanced by The Mersey Forest. This space, characterised by its old trees and natural beauty, offers children opportunities to engage with their environment through activities like bug hunting and storytelling.
The project has highlighted the calming effect of nature on the children and their desire for more green spaces in their community. Teaching Assistants noted the benefits of conducting lessons outdoors, enhancing the learning experience. Through the sessions our Community Forester, Dave Armson, reflected on the transformative nature of the project, recognising that children often have a deeper connection to nature than adults. The workshops also highlighted the importance of allowing children to lead and inspire adults in reconnecting with the natural world.
The Voices of the Future project highlights the significance of listening to young people’s insights and experiences and developing a collaborative approach to environmental stewardship and community engagement.
As part of the Voices of the Future project a tree manifesto has been developed by Year 5 children at Seymour Park Community Primary School in Old Trafford, Manchester, to share their dreams and demands for trees and nature in their community. Collectively the group have said:
“Plant more trees, now! Let us have a future.”
The children’s tree manifesto, developed in conjunction with Manchester Metropolitan University and City of Trees, with illustrations curated by Maisy Summer, shows the children’s commitment to a greener, cleaner and fairer Earth.
Information from the manifesto will feed into The Mersey Forest’s strategic Forest Plan and also inform our work with schools, as we deliver forest school and tree planting sessions across Merseyside and Cheshire