ON a steep moor above Marsden it’s -3°C.

There is a bitterly cold wind and ankle deep snow on the ground.

But Colne Valley Tree Society are doing what they do every Saturday morning – planting trees.

And I can’t hear a single complaint about the hostile weather from this dedicated team which today is planting hundreds of fir trees at Pasture Wood, on the top of Binn Moor.

Colne Valley Tree Society (CVTS) has planted over 300,000 trees on 300 sites in Colne Valley since it was founded in 1964 by former Slaithwaite GP, Dr Derek Phillips.

CVTS, which works with schools, Scout groups and Colne Valley Lions, began planting trees on former quarry tip and landfill sites.

The group has since planted native species, including birch, oak, rowan, hawthorn, willow, hazel, alder and scots pine on public and private sites including Scammonden Reservoir and Parkwood, Golcar.

CVTS, which has about 20 members, also carries out woodland management, for example, clearing weeds and bracken from sites and fencing woods off from hungry sheep and deer.

CVTS chairman Philip Baxter said: “Trees are good for controlling the climate, stopping water run off and slowing down erosion.

“It benefits wildlife and provides a habitat and there’s the whole CO2 thing where trees help stop the world from overheating.

“Woods are also nice to walk through and quite calming.”

So what brings the hardcore members of CVTS out in all weather?

Philip adds: “People have hobbies and this is what I do. I also know other people will come as well no matter what the weather is. If we can get to the site we’ll plant. There’s not a lot of weather that will put us off.

“There’s also the fresh air and we’re a social bunch. We have a laugh and it’s good to see a bit of daylight in the winter.”

For more information about CVTS visit: http://colnevalleytreesociety.blogspot.co.uk/