A big green thank you, as we celebrate National Tree Week
Friday, 3 December 2021
We're supporting National Tree Week, the UK’s largest annual tree celebration by thanking schools and community groups who have received tree grants this year.
National Tree Week marks the start of the winter tree planting season, encouraging people to get people out planting trees around the country and reminding everyone how important trees are to our lives.
To date, approaching £50,000 from the dedicated tree grant scheme has enabled 1,500 plus trees to be planted and, over 2.5km of new hedgerow laid. We also have around 12,000 trees to be planted this season in the pipeline.
Tree planting grants remain open, and applicants are encouraged to apply and plant trees and hedges to celebrate the Queen’s Green Canopy project.
Successful projects have been brought forward by a range of groups, organisations, and schools. These include Teasel who received a grant for replacement fruit trees at Etonbury Community Orchard and South Bedfordshire Friends of the Earth who worked with residents in Leighton Linslade on planting in residential open spaces.
Sandy Town Council has also planted trees at a number of recreational spaces across the town and St Augustine’s School in Dunstable, has used a grant from us to plant trees and hedging that will help it to become a forest school.
Councillor Steven Dixon, our Executive Member for Sustainability, said:
Trees and hedging are an essential resource and provide many environmental as well as physical and mental health benefits. They help improve the health of communities and provide homes for wildlife not only now but for many generations to come.
I would encourage any group interested in taking their first step towards a more sustainable Central Bedfordshire to apply for a grant on our website.