AN ENVIRONMENTAL project which could see the return of endangered black poplar trees to parts of Colne has been launched by green campaigners and council officers.

The scheme, which is intended to involve members of the community and local school children, kicked off yesterday in Cotton Tree when cuttings were taken from 200-year-old poplars -- of which there are only four in the area.

These cuttings will then be planted and nurtured before eventually being reintroduced to the Ball Grove Lake area, where they once grew, in a bid to improve the area and save the trees from extinction.

They are very important to this area which is even named after the trees -- also referred to as cotton trees because of their seeds.

Children from the nearby primary schools will be given the opportunity to help plant the trees and watch them grow.

Brian Jackson, a resident and Friends of the Earth campaigner, said: "There has been research at the university in Penrith into how rare these trees are.

"They are endangered and we have been pushing for this for the last four or five years.

"This seems an ideal opportunity, and an ideal place, in which to push the boat out.

"We will be asking school children if they have boggy land, or are near to a river, if they can recommend somewhere to plant the cuttings.

"They need plenty of moisture and they were once fairly common along the rivers of Lancashire, but gradually died out and some were pulled out because some people thought they were weeds.

"The trees we have taken cuttings from, near Cotton Tree Post Office, are at least 200 years old and are known as the four ladies of Cotton Tree.

"We are wanting to plant them near the lake where the old willows have been cut back and it is a bit depleted of trees."

It is hoped that 70 to 80 per cent of the trees will successfully grow and when they are around two to three feet tall, which will be some time next year, they will be planted at Ball Grove.