10,000 trees to be planted in borough

BARNSLEY COUNCIL is set to plant 10,000 trees across the borough, in a bid to improve the environment, and improve residents’ health and wellbeing.

The council has set aside £ 385,000 of funding from its one- off investments budget, and the ruling cabinet has agreed to release the money to allow the project to begin.

The trees will be planted in conjunction with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, and a report to the council states the project will reduce carbon in the environment, accelerate tree planting in response to the climate emergency declared in September 2019, and help create natural flood defences.

During the virtual cabinet meeting, Coun Chris Lamb, spokesperson for environment and transportation, said: “This council recognises our role in protecting this borough’s natural environment for future generations.

“And as we all know, in the autumn of last year, we declared a climate emergency as a means of galvanising action across the borough to reduce carbon emissions.

“The council is actually responsible for 215,000 trees, which are on public land.

“We have a tree canopy coverage that equates to 16 per cent of the land in Barnsley.

“We’ve also witnessed and understood better how important nature is, and access to green spaces is for [ the] quality of life of our residents.”

The council has worked with partners at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Yorkshire Water, Woodland Trust, Highways England and Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, to review the current approach to tree planting and woodland creation and to propose new plans.

This includes future engagement with communities, schools and other stakeholders to plant more trees within urban parks, country parks and other open spaces across the district.