Thousands of trees planted in Bucks for National Tree Week
During National Tree Week, Buckinghamshire Council has been working in partnership with Chiltern Rangers and the local community to host nine days of tree planting events in the Vale of Aylesbury. The nine days consisted of planting over 4,000 trees, hedgerow plants, native bulbs and wildflowers along the new Platinum Way cycleway in the sections of Haydon Hill and Somerville Way in Aylesbury.
The planting supports the Bucks Tree Mission, which aims to create a greener future by planting over 543,000 trees in Buckinghamshire over the next nine years.
Martin Tett, Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, and Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport, both visited the Platinum Way on Thursday 1 December to help plant alongside school children from Elmhurst School.
Speaking at the event, Martin Tett, said:
“It’s great to see such enthusiasm coming from local volunteers and school children, who have all been getting involved in planting trees during National Tree Week. In addition to these initiatives, as part of our climate change commitment, Buckinghamshire Council has committed to large scale planting schemes to create brand new woodlands in Buckinghamshire. Already, we have planted 3,450 trees at Billet Field near Black Park, and it’s our ambition to plant 28,000 trees at Grange Farm (Hazlemere) and Bury Farm (Amersham) during the planting season. We have also consulted on proposals, developed in partnership with Forestry England, for a new woodland near Wing.”
Steven Broadbent also commented on the voluntary work:
“It’s been a busy National Tree Week in Buckinghamshire, and it’s great to have seen and helped out with the community planting along the cycleway, which will help to provide a peaceful and tranquil route for people to enjoy.”
Also this week, 21 Buckinghamshire charities, community groups and parish councils received more than 600 trees* which the Chiltern Rangers have been caring for at their tree nursery located at Funges Meadow in High Wycombe. These young trees will now be planted locally throughout Buckinghamshire.
The trees included 40 black poplars donated to Lindengate, a popular local charity working on wellbeing and nature, and a significant number taken by Hogshaw Farm, a local family run activity farm.
Elsewhere in the county, Knotty Green has seen 73 new trees planted along the verges of Sandelswood End and Howe Drive. The trees were funded by local residents and the Beaconsfield & Chepping Wye Community Board and were planted by the Knotty Greening Team, which is made up of large group of Knotty Green residents. Led by Mike Tarry, the team worked in partnership with Penn Parish Council, who helped with seed funding and supported the volunteers.
Gareth Williams, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, added:
“Buckinghamshire Council is also delighted to announce that our bid to the Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund has been successful. We have been awarded over £140,000 which will allow us to hire two additional Woodland Creation Officers next year to accelerate our tree planting ambitions and enable delivery on our commitments for the Bucks Tree Mission. In pursuit of our target to plant 543,000 trees, we’ve consulted on proposals to plant a new woodland near Wing and progress is being made towards planting at two further sites in Buckinghamshire this year.
“Several groups are also progressing with their preparations for planting using funding from the Local Authority Treescapes Fund; a scheme run by the Forestry Commission aimed at supporting tree planting by parish councils and community groups.”
To find out more about the Bucks Tree Mission, visit: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/bucks-tree-mission
* The 600 trees given to Chiltern Rangers were donated by HS2.