Warwickshire’s environment is set to benefit from a series of successful tree planting bids by Warwickshire County Council
To mark National Tree Week 2023 – the UK’s largest annual tree celebration – Warwickshire County Council is thrilled to announce successful bids for funding which will support tree planting initiatives across the county and contribute to environmental sustainability, biodiversity and enhancing community wellbeing.
The Forestry Commission has awarded Warwickshire County Council almost £295,000 under Round 3 of the Local Authority Treescapes Fund. Between 2023 and 2028, this fund will cover the planting of approximately 990 new native trees. The grant includes three years of establishment costs for each tree, with planting scheduled to begin this winter.
The Forestry Commission has also awarded the Council around £365,000 from their Urban Tree Challenge Fund. This grant will fund the planting of around 550 standard-sized trees across 25 urban locations, focusing on areas with higher levels of deprivation and lower tree canopy cover. This also includes three years of establishment costs for each tree.
Finally, in collaboration with the five local district and borough councils, Warwickshire County Council has secured funding from Defra’s Coronation Living Heritage Fund for further tree planting initiatives which will include:
Micro Woods: £47,500 for approximately four micro wood sites. These are created by planting mixed native species close together in small patches in predominately urban areas to create miniature woodland spaces.
Community Orchards: £205,000 to be given to local community groups for them to establish community orchards in their areas, promoting community involvement and ownership.
Warwickshire County Council will hold and administer the funds on behalf of the consortium and are currently seeking expressions of interest from community and voluntary groups who might wish to be a host location for either a Micro Wood or a Community Orchard. Anyone interested should contact naturalcapital@warwickshire.gov.uk
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, Culture and the Environment, said: “We welcome this new funding from a variety of sources, which will allow us to plant more trees to reduce and mitigate carbon emissions and increase the county’s biodiversity through the creation of new habitats for wildlife.
“We are particularly excited to be able to offer community powered tree planting initiatives through the Micro Woods and Community Orchards projects and hope that community and voluntary organisations across the County will help us to make these a reality over the coming years.”
Find out more about National Tree Week 2023, at: treecouncil.org.uk/seasonal-campaigns/national-tree-week/
Anyone thinking about planting a tree this tree-planting season can find more information at: warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/4658/growing-a-greener-tomorrow-in-the-2023-24-tree-planting-season
Find out more about the Warwickshire tree nursery, which will underpin the WCC tree planting targets
Find out more about Warwickshire County Council’s commitment to planting a tree for every resident
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk