Posted on 2nd Feb
More than 1,500 new trees are being planted in two popular green spaces in Newark and Coddington, as part of an ongoing plan to protect, promote and enhance the district’s natural environment.
Thorpe Oaks in Coddington and Clay Lane in Newark have been prepared and landscaped, ready for the planting of oak, birch, wild cherry, field maple and horse chestnut trees.
The tree planting follows Newark and Sherwood District Council’s successful bid to the Forestry Commission’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund, which will contribute towards more nature conservation projects to tackle climate change.
In addition to the new trees, other environmental improvements are under way as part of a package of measures from the council to make the district ‘Greener’.
In January the council ran its annual Christmas tree recycling campaign. For a £5 fee, used unwanted real Christmas trees were collected by the waste management team, with the proceeds being used to pay for planting whips and saplings around the district.
More than 350 trees were collected, raising more than £1,500.
In November the council ran its annual free tree scheme, handing out nearly 1,500 trees to households as part of its strategy to protect, promote and enhance the natural environment.
By increasing the number of trees in the district, the council said it was leading the way in making communities more attractive and greener places to live and work — and was playing an active and leading role in meeting the national target of planting 11 million trees between now and 2022.
Coun David Lloyd, lLeader of the council, said: “Tree planting plays an invaluable role in supporting wildlife, capturing carbon and releasing oxygen into the environment.
“With projects such as those at Thorpe Oaks and Clay Lane, we would normally seek to engage local residents and school children with the tree planting but the pandemic means that the volunteering programme is currently suspended. Therefore, I’m hugely grateful to our parks staff, who are out in all weather conditions planting trees during the narrow window when bare-root trees are best planted and ahead of the nesting season beginning.
“These projects reflect the priorities which residents indicated in our district-wide consultations and go towards our commitment to be carbon-neutral. I am grateful also to the district councillors who have actively worked with us to bring these projects and priorities forward.”
