A local youth charity has teamed up with the Woodland Trust to plant thousands of trees.

More than 80 volunteers, representing the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA), from Kingston, New Malden, Putney, Raynes Park and Wimbledon last Sunday planted 5,500 trees in Heartwood Forest, a Woodland Trust site in Sandridge, near St Albans.

The event formed part of the AMYA's national tree planting campaign designed to help educate young adults and children about the environment. The 5,500 trees planted helped the AMYA to hit its 2013 target of planting 50,000 trees across the country.

Heartwood Forest is the Woodland Trust’'s flagship site in Hertfordshire where the charity is creating the largest new native woodland in England. John Brown, Regional development Officer for the Woodland Trust said: “We have so little woodland in England that the creation of Heartwood Forest will make a real difference in the long term, particularly for wildlife in the area.”

Jamal Akbar, a resident of Raynes Park and young volunteer on the day said: “ ''The tree planting went really well. We thought that we would plant around 3,000 trees and were amazed that despite difficult weather conditions we were told that the group planted more than 5,000 trees!''

Lutfur Rehman, a resident of Kingston and AMYA Youth Leader for South West London said: ''Both safeguarding and beautifying the planet is an important part of our faith as Muslims and indeed a united ambition shared by people of all faiths and backgrounds. A major motivating factor for our members is the fact that Islam places great emphasis on taking care of the environment and particularly on the planting of trees.

"Events such as these also help to promote good community relations and our members are keen to get involved in similar schemes in the future."

Based on information supplied by Raza Ul Haq.