£9 million on offer to boost tree numbers

HUNDREDS of thousands of trees are set to be planted in communities across England with the reopening of applications for the Local Authority Treescapes Fund and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund.

In all, the two funds will ensure that more than £9 million is allocated to support tree planting and improve the environment for future generations as the government seeks to build back greener from the pandemic.

The government wants to treble tree planting rates across England by the end of this Parliament and plant 30,000 hectares of trees across the UK per year by 2025.

Now in its second round, successful applicants to the Local Authority Treescapes Fund will be allocated a share of £5.4 million for the planting of up to 650,000 trees in 2022/23.

Councils will be encouraged to establish trees in different ways, from natural regeneration, where trees are left to naturally develop, to traditional planting.

Community engagement is encouraged, and local authorities can bring together residents, schools and environmental groups to restore trees in areas outside woodlands. These include riverbanks, parks, beside roads and footpaths, and within vacant community spaces.

Applicants for the fourth round of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund will be awarded a share of more than £3.8 million – enough to fund the planting of more than 28,000 large trees in urban areas and the places where rural and urban areas meet.

The aim is to increase the number of trees in and around deprived urban areas to bring people from all socioeconomic backgrounds closer to nature.

Forestry Minister Lord Goldsmith said: “Everyone across the country deserves to benefit from the cleaner air and natural beauty that trees offer.

“Together, these funds will help to promote resilient tree growth in England for generations to come.”

Applications for both funds are open until May 31.