Thousands of trees to be planted in towns and cities

As part of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund, the government has said that 13 projects in urban communities across England have been awarded a share of £10 million.

It means that over 22,000 large trees and 28,000 small trees will be planted in urban areas across the country, to help areas improve health and well-being, as well as playing a crucial role in the fight against climate change, supporting the UK’s journey to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The government is committed to plant 30,000 hectares of trees a year across the UK by 2025, and the fund is helping increase canopy cover in and around our towns and cities where they bring a wide range of benefits. Launched in May 2019, the Urban Tree Challenge Fund will see 130,000 trees planted across England’s towns and cities by 2021.

As part of the first round, the Trees for Cities project which will receive support for over 9,000 trees to be distributed across the country, whilst over 8,000 trees will be planted by Slough Borough Council, almost 7,000 large trees will go to London Street Trees and 6,000 trees to The Mersey Forest.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “Trees are vital in the fight against climate change, to tackle air pollution and help us achieve our net-zero target by 2050. But for local communities they are so much more. They allow green spaces to come together, help both physical and mental well-being, and connect children and young people with nature. Our manifesto sets our ambition to have every new street lined with trees, and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund complements this ambition, benefiting thousands of people for years to come.”