Posted on 3rd Dec
Residents in Newark and Sherwood will this week join in a mass planting scheme to grow thousands of new trees across the district.
This week marks National Tree Planting week and more than 1,000 free rowan or goat willow trees will soon be distributed to residents.
Newark and Sherwood District Council launched the scheme in October as part of its strategy to protect, promote and enhance the natural environment, with collections commencing this weekend from selected locations across the district.
Due to national coronavirus restrictions that were in place at the time, tree collections originally taking place in Newark and Clipstone in November were rescheduled to new dates in December.
Friday 4 December
•Sherwood Heath, Ollerton, 10am to 2pm
•Southwell Market, 10am to 2pm
Saturday 5 December
•Sherwood Heath, Ollerton, 10am to 2pm
•Southwell Market, 10am to 2pm
Friday 11 December
•Sconce and Devon Park, Newark, 10am to 2pm
•Vicar Water Park, Clipstone, 10am to 2pm
Saturday 12 December
•Sconce and Devon Park, Newark, 10am to 2pm
•Vicar Water Park, Clipstone, 10am to 2pm
Residents will just need to provide their name and booking reference.
Trees are small and easy to carry. They are bare-rooted and the council is encouraging residents to bring a plastic carrier bag to protect the roots.
Social distancing measures will be in place.
Coun David Lloyd, leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The take-up for the free trees has been fantastic. We are committed to making the district greener and we are delighted that so many residents are joining us.
“Trees are vital in the fight against climate change. They help to improve the quality of our air, cool the warming planet, reduce flood risks as well as absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By increasing the number of trees in the district, we are also assisting the government in meeting its crucial target of planting 11 million trees between now and 2022.”
The district council’s parks team has given some basic tree planting advice below:
•Treat the trees gently, as rough handling or being dropped can shock the roots, and it will take the trees longer to get established.
•When you get your trees home, store them somewhere cool, outside. Do not let the roots dry out, so keep them covered. They should be planted as soon as possible.
•If you have a small garden or patio you can put each in a large pot permanently. The size of the pot will determine how big the tree gets, as once the roots have filled the pot the tree will stop growing. If you put your pot over soil, the roots will grow down through holes at the bottom of the pot into the ground so do be careful!
•When planting directly into the ground, check distance from your own and your neighbour’s property
•Make sure your hole is big enough for all the roots to fit in comfortably and once planted, press the soil down firmly around the stem, making sure the roots are fully covered but that all of the stem is above the soil level
The scheme is being supported by Crowders Nurseries, a wholesale grower of native and ornamental trees, shrubs and all hardy plants.
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