Project Background – The Wallasey Environmental Project is a pilot project that supports our tree strategy and will both inform future planting schemes and educate our children and wider communities about the value of nature and biodiversity in a changing climate. We will be taking a green desert and turning it into a nature destination and citizen science site with trees, a pop-up educational container / hub that will develop over time with more planting, artworks and festival events.

Artist Commission – We would like to commission a local artist to paint a 20 ft recycled shipping container which will become our education hub for our community woodland project in Seacombe, Wallasey. Citrine Park map. The artwork will be our first commission for the site, but we are looking to develop it with future eco arts festivals. There will also be an opportunity for workshops with local school children.

Further information:

1. Important Dates – All submissions must be sent by email to lynnstruve@wirral.gov.uk by 17:00 on Friday 26th March. The successful artwork will need to be completed by Monday 21st June 2021.
2. Conditions of entry – The artist will need to submit their botanical/woodland themed design ideas for the container via email as above

• The artwork must be:
  • high-quality (please include references for any previous work completed).
  • your own original work and can include images of seed heads, foliage, wildlife or forest.
  • weather-resistant
  • eye-catching and bold so that it will stand out from the roadway.

3. Artist – We encourage submissions from artists of all backgrounds but preference will be given to artists that live within the Liverpool City Region area.
4. Artwork size –Exterior Dimensions (in meters): 6.10m long x 2.44m wide x 2.59m high –Artwork is for the whole of the container including entrance and both sides.
5. Fees –Please provide us with a breakdown of your fees for the artwork to be completed, including all materials. In addition, please let us know whether you would be interested in delivering school workshops as part of the project providing an outline of your fees per day/part day.
6. Insurance – please ensure you have the appropriate public liability insurance.
7. Selected work – Wirral Council will notify the successful artist by 12^th April 2021. (With permission) All artists details will be kept for future projects.

Please email me if you have any questions

lynnstruve@wirral.gov.uk

Background Information About The CITRINE Citizen Science Forest Project

The project includes six key development strands:

• A Tiny Forest planted with Earthwatch
• A control forest planted with Mersey Forest and local schools
• Community tree planting
• Level 4 forest school training for RC and PS to deliver educational programmes to support the pilot, providing forest schools training for each school, bespoke support on setting up a school site, links to Citrine and additional school grounds planting with Mersey Forest.
• Citizen science investigations with university students, local schools and local community groups
• Wirral wide role out:

forest education centre, for all things related to trees and biodiversity

Wirral wide forest school teacher training, school grounds bespoke support

1. The Tiny Forest with Earthwatch

Environmental issues such as flooding, pollution, heat stress and loss of biodiversity are increasingly affecting urban areas; and this is only expected to worsen in the face of climate change.

A tiny forest is dense native woodland the size of a tennis court that can help mitigate the impacts of climate change, support urban wildlife, and reconnect people with nature, offering multiple co-benefits.

These miniature forests grow rapidly, becoming more biodiverse and impactful more quickly than monoculture forests or isolated trees.

3,000 Tiny Forests have been planted globally, with 97% success rate.

Based on an established forest management method developed in the 1970s by Dr Miyawaki

600 native trees planted in a tennis-court size plot.

High biodiversity, attracting over 500 animal and plant species.

Up to 30 times more dense than conventional tree plantings, maximising benefits per hectare of land.

Grows 5 to 10 times faster than regular forests due to the innovative planting & management methodology.

A new dense green space with low management requirements, becoming maintenance-free after 3 years

2. Control Planting Sites with Mersey Forest and Local Schools

Using the same tree species, an additional 300 trees with be planted conventionally spaced but with the same soil enrichment as the tiny forest trees

Another 300 trees will be planted conventionally spaced, traditionally without soil enrichment.

This enables scientific measure of growth rates, soil micro-organisms, biodiversity, carbon storage, weed growth, short term maintenance, long term sustainability, community engagement and response.

3. Community Tree Planting

Development of key tree species to act as a tree museum, i-d station and to study variety of species / biodiversity each tree attracts.

4. Education Offer

Work with the three local schools to engage with nature and importance of trees. Sessions at schools for all children and afterschool engagement workshop for families. Tree planting on site, citizen science sessions at Citrine. Forest school design at each school site, forest school training for a member of staff at each school. Development of Guardians programme to encourage future generations to look after our trees and eco- systems.

5. Community Engagement

Work with local residents, housing association to give local ownership of the space. Door knocking, local notice board, information event.

Work with local businesses so staff get involved and use the space for well-being

Wider links with local businesses for sponsorship, twinned forests at schools and businesses, inspirational artworks on buildings

The notice board and pop-up education hub will provide resources and store data for citizen science projects to allow inclusive involvement with activities and evaluations.

Festivals and engagement events.

6. Next Steps

Wirral wide role out of tree planting in schools with Mersey Forest, development of forest education centre at Dibbinsdale to provide training for educators. One stop shop for all things tree to provide cohesive, coordinated green development and education. Improving wellbeing (post COVID) for local people, strengthening biodiversity, cooling the air, and absorbing harmful air pollutants. Community woodlands and in school grounds trees will also offer much-needed shade and reduce exposure to air pollution helps to avoid multiple health problems.