Halfway there on bid to plant a million trees

A TARGET by Derbyshire County Council to support the planting of a million trees across the county by 2030 is “well within reach”.

The total on the Million Trees campaign totaliser has now ticked over the half-a-million mark to 534,062 thanks to the efforts of partner organisations, residents, landowners and volunteers.

From single trees in back gardens to school yard orchards to community projects and largescale plantings, it is all adding up and helping to boost the environment and tackle the effects of climate change.

Stories have been told of trees planted to mark special times like the arrival of a new family member, moving to a new home or in memory of loved ones.

Trees are transforming waste land, creating wildlife havens and filling gaps in farmers’ fields and existing woodlands. Others, like the planting of 70 fruit trees in Pinxton to mark the 70-year reign of the late Queen Elizabeth, will provide apples, plums, pears, cherries and damsons for the local community in years to come.

Councillor Carolyn Renwick, cabinet member for infrastructure and environment, said: “There have been some great efforts in support of our campaign and we’re nudging ever closer to our one million tree target working with national bodies, community groups and residents.

“Thanks are due to all those giving their support through planting on their land, getting stuck in to volunteer or providing sponsorship. There have been some bigger projects by environmental bodies but I am really pleased to see that of the half a million trees more than 16,800 of these are down to the enthusiasm of residents to green their own local spaces.

“I am confident that we can reach our target in advance of 2030 and hope to get even more people involved.”

The county council is calling on people to keep on planting, and if residents have planted a tree anywhere in Derbyshire since June 2021 it can be counted towards the million trees target.

Trees can be added to the online map at www.milliontrees.co.uk, where some of the inspiring stories about why people have planted a tree can also be read.

The Million Trees project is part of Derbyshire’s journey to becoming a net zero county by 2050 or sooner. Planting trees brings considerable benefits to our eco systems and society.

They help with carbon absorption, flood protection and support for biodiversity.