The Thornbury community has celebrated further tree planting in the community.
New trees have been planted on Severn View Road by the Woodland Trust in collaboration with local partners the Forest of Avon Trust, in their latest efforts to improve urban biodiversity and establish new woodlands in the region.
Local MP Luke Hall recently met with the representatives from both Trusts in Thornbury to discuss the crucial project to boost tree cover and the enhancement of green spaces in the area, alongside the commitment and plans to planting more trees and community orchards throughout South Gloucestershire.
Through its Tree and Woodland Strategy for the West of England, the Forest of Avon Trust is aiming to establish new native woodlands around the fringes of Thornbury, whilst conserving Grade 2 agricultural land, priority habitats, historic monuments, and viewpoints. They also aim to enhance existing Woodlands in South Gloucestershire, linking them through woodland corridors like in Boyd Valley between Wick and Doynton.
South Gloucestershire Council has an ambitious tree planting programme, which hopes to see tree cover double by 2030 through tree planting. The Council has recently been rewarded £1.1 million from WECA for increasing tree canopy cover across the area.
This follows previous work by Luke to encourage tree planting efforts in the community. Last year, alongside Thornbury in Bloom, Luke attended a tree planting event in the Mundy Playing Fields, where volunteers planted Cherry Trees as part of the Sakura Cherry Tree Project, a friendship and cultural exchange project between Japan and the UK.
Luke has helped to distribute these cherry trees to local community groups across South Gloucestershire.
Speaking about his recent meeting in Thornbury, Luke Hall MP said:
“These trees will help to boost our local biodiversity and help to support our local tree planting initiative. The Forest of Avon Trust have done a fantastic job of supporting the community’s and South Gloucestershire Council’s efforts in this area and I look forward to working with them with more projects in the future.”
Ross Kennerley, Woodland Trust Regional Director, said:
“It was great to be able to meet with Luke and to discuss the widespread benefits that trees in urban areas bring for people, nature and climate. Seeing the newly planted trees in the ground in the heart of Thornbury shows what can be achieved when organisations and local communities work together. The Woodland Trust is proud to have been able to provide over £250,000 in the West of England to kick start tree planting and woodland creation across the region. We look forward to seeing 100,000s of trees going in the ground in the next couple of years. To achieve that we need more landowners to come forward and provide space for trees and nature.”
Planting more trees and woodlands is a top priority in Luke’s Positive Plan for the Local Environment. Nationally, the Government is spending more than £750 million by 2024-25 through the Nature for Climate Fund to help meet the commitment to increase tree planting, with the aim of planting 30,000 hectares per year by May 2024.
