Celebrating World Planting Day 2023 Spring is sprung! This week we celebrate both the spring equinox and World Planting Day, meaning spring is officially upon us at last! The spring - or "vernal" - equinox marks the end of astronomical winter and the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Historically, this was a time of spiritual significance for many different cultures: from Easter or Passover, to the Norse Disablot or Buddhist Higan, a wide range of world faiths include feasts and holy days synchronised to the changing of the seasons - and the cycles of growth and renewal spring is said to contain. Today, the transition from winter to spring means slightly longer, warmer days - and, for Greenbelt, the move away from our 'winter' maintenance programmes to focus more on budding new seasonal growth, such as on our shrub beds and wildflower meadows. In addition to World Planting Day, March 21st is also the United Nations' International Day of Forests; an annual event dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of trees and woodlands to our health, wellbeing and communities. This year's theme is 'forests and health', and seeks to further underline the relationship between our physical and mental health and our access to high-quality nature-filled spaces. "Forest sustainable management and their use of resources are key to contributing climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and wellbeing of current and future generations," reads the UN's official statement. "Forests give so much to our health. They purify the water, clean the air, capture carbon to fight climate change, provide food and life-saving medicines, and improve our wellbeing. "It's up to us to safeguard these precious natural resources, because healthy forests will bring healthy people." To read more about Greenbelt's sustainable management of flowers, woodlands, biodiverse habitat areas and much more, click here. Previous article: World Water Day Prev Next article: Biodiverse SuDS protect our planet and our pockets Next