Pre-school children in South Gloucestershire are set to plant trees at a wildlife park.

150 native trees will planted at Wild Place Project to help form the park's new 'tree corridor'.

In aid of National Tree Week nine children from Abbeywood Tots Day Care Nursery, Filton, have been invited to to help gardens’ supervisor, Andrew Harrison, plant around 20 saplings, which included Hawthorn, European ash, field maple, black alder and oak.

Once established, the trees, which will cover an area of more than 1,800 square metres, will lead visitors towards the wildlife park’s new Bear Wood exhibit, due to open next year.

Rebecca Cole, exhibit development manager, said: “This new wood will be a mixture of trees reflecting what is found in ancient woodlands and will be a continuation of the story we are telling in Bear Wood.

“In Bear Wood, aside from the bears, lynx, wolves and wolverine, people will be able to follow a raised walkway through the ancient woods, learn what we have lost in so many areas of the country and then walk out to see this new wooded area and what can be done for the future.

Rebecca said it was important to plant trees native to this country because they help attract small mammals and insects that struggle with habitat loss.

The new woodland will be the first entirely new area of trees that has been planted at the wildlife park in years.

Rebecca said: “It’s an example of what can be done and what we can all do for woodlands and we are delighted to be marking National Tree Week in this way.”

To find out more about Wild Place Project, visit wildplace.org.uk.