THEY are on a mission to help secure our green future.

Volunteers from local community groups and businesses have been busy transforming the landscape around Scammonden Water.

In just a day they planted 1,000 tree saplings and plan to plant a further 1,500 by next month.

The project is part of the Trees for Yorkshire scheme to help the region grow through community planting projects.

The next few weeks will see the area around the picturesque reservoir buzzing with activity.

The project is being led by Kirklees Grantmakers’ Alliance on behalf of the White Rose Forest Partnership.

Volunteers worked through the day yesterday to prepare an area of the land, plant 1,000 saplings and put up guards around them to protect them from nibbling deer.

The tiny trees they planted were mainly oaks, but a few willow and alder saplings were planted in the wetter areas.

Their work is part of a three year scheme to plant 14,000 trees in the area.

Volunteers will transform around 7.5 hectares – the equivalent of 15 football pitches – of land.

Their work is the latest in 40 years’ worth of work to give the site a green overhaul.

There has been planting activity on the land since the reservoir, which carries the M62 motorway over Deanhead Valley, was created.

Some trees were initially planted but the work really kicked in after Polish-born Peter Sky, who was living in Huddersfield, donated £2,000 to Colne Valley Tree Society.

He believed there weren’t enough trees in the area and approached the group for help in creating a forest park.

The planting was done in stages and volunteers are now into the final phase, due to be completed by 2013.

When the trees mature there will be around 40 hectares – or 100 acres – of woodland around the reservoir.

This teamed with £1/4m of investment by Yorkshire Water over the next two years for footpath improvements means visitors will notice real differences to the site over the coming years.

The project is part of the initiative run by the White Rose Forest Partnership to help stem the decline of woodland in West Yorkshire by bringing together different groups to help.

Guy Thompson, a project manager for the White Rose Forest Partnership, has been planting at the site for over 10 years.

He said: “This has been a work in progress over the last 40 years but we have had to make a long-term commitment to ensure we have a legacy for the future.

“At the moment people can’t see the benefits of the new trees but in four or five years there will be a real difference, like the trees there now that we planted 10 years ago.

“We’re getting groups like local businesses, the Tree Society and the scouts involved and they’re making a real difference. This area has really been transformed. This scheme is part of a much bigger picture as there are going to be projects like this running throughout West Yorkshire and beyond over the next few years.

“Tree coverage across the country is pretty low – just 6% or 7% – compared to much of Europe where there is 25% coverage.

“But there are so many benefits, such as the boost to wildlife because of the improved habitat and the renewable sources of energy trees provide, as well as making the landscape much more appealing to both visitors and investors.”

The work at the site this week involved volunteers from Marshalls quarry and Britannia Rescue.

A planting session has also been organised with the Tree Society and Lindley Owls.

There will be an event taking place each weekend until the end of April, when the 2,500 saplings are expected to be planted.

To get involved call Guy on 07720 414356.

To find out more about the Trees for Yorkshire planting project and make a donation visit www.whiteroseforest.org.uk.