The first trees in a new community orchard have been planted in Cardiff's Bute Park after a crime spree by vandals last year. The vandals caused thousands of pounds worth of damage last September after destroying more than 50 trees along with bins, planters and manhole covers.
In the wake of the attack, a community-led crowdfunding campaign emerged to combat the damage that was done to the park. Coupled with funding from Cardiff council's Coed Caerdydd mass tree planting programme, the campaign will now see two trees planted in the park for every one that was destroyed. There will be two orchard locations: a main one to the north of Blackweir playing fields, and a smaller one adjacent to the historic ‘Orchard Lawn' where the first heritage fruit trees, including apple, greengage, plum, pear, and cherry were planted today.
Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Councillor Jennifer Burke-Davies, said: "Bute Park’s the green heart of the city and the attack really felt like a knife in the heart for everyone involved, the team working there, the volunteers who help us look after it, the businesses who operate from the park, and I’m sure for the people who make over 2.5m visits to the park every year.
