Employees of the Bermuda Electric Light Company got their hands dirty yesterday planting 30 trees at Spittal Pond in Smith's Parish.

In all, the utility company has donated 100 Bermuda cedar and olivewood trees to the Island's open spaces. Most of the remaining endemic trees not planted yesterday will be put at Cooper's Island near L.F. Wade International airport.

The number of trees was chosen to coincide with BELCO's 100 year anniversary.

"Good fun, but a lot of hard work," said Corporate Communications Director Linda Smith after planting the first cedar tree.

She negotiated the gardening effort in a suit and pumps, while using hands without gloves.

"I'm glad I didn't do my nails last night," she yelled to her colleagues at one point.

Ten employees were at Spittal Pond with hoes and shovels. They were directed by Government Conservation Officer Jeremy Madeiros.

He said: "This certainly helps a lot. We're really appreciative of BELCO. This is just one of several plantings we'll carry out with the trees that they've donated. We hope to use them in several other nature reserves as well. Cooper's Island is one we would like to because we want to restore that like Non-Such Island has been restored and that's going to take literally tens of thousands of trees. So this is a big help."

The tree population at Spittal Pond is still low following the devastating winds of Hurricane Fabian. That 2003 storm took out a huge number of trees.

Ms Smith said: "I think the effort here is trying to replace some of the trees lost during Hurricane Fabian."

Mr. Maderios explained that tree planting is one of the most simple and most helpful things companies and individuals can do.

He said each tree helps soaks up about as much carbon dioxide as a typical person breathes out in a year and gives back about as much oxygen as a human being needs in a year. He figured the trees planted yesterday could live as long as three centuries.