Riverside site to provide home for memorial planting

A SITE close to the Cavell Gardens War Memorial in Inverness has emerged the winner in an online poll to find a potential tree-planting location in the city as part of a UK-wide project.

The Inverness Courier, which is celebrating its 200th anniversary, joined forces with city MP Drew Hendry who is among more than 500 MPs who will be planting trees as part of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy, a network of forest conservation projects to mark her service to the Commonwealth.

Readers were invited to vote for their favourite location from five nominations.

The winner – the grassed area opposite Cavell Gardens War Memorial – was suggested by Joe Davidson, chairman of the Inverness branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland.

It has been designated a Centenary Field under a nationwide programme which aims to protect parks, playing fields and other recreational spaces in perpetuity to honour the memory of the millions who lost their lives in World War I.

Mr Hendry’s office is in talks with Highland Council regarding permission to plant the five trees which comprise two silver birch, two rowan and a hazel. They have been donated in a partnership between the Woodland Trust, Sainsbury’s and ITV which screened The Queen’s Green Planet, earlier this year.

The runner-up in the vote was Inshes District Park while Merkinch Nature Reserve was in third place. The other contenders were the roundabout near Asda in Sir Walter Scott Drive and Dalneigh Primary School.

Mr Davidson was delighted his suggestion had won public backing especially as next month marks the centenary of the end of World War I.

"It is wonderful," he said. "It shows how switched on people are. They are taking heed and up to speed with the commemorations. It will be a fitting way to mark the centenary."