A project aiming to support and encourage the planting of a million trees across Derbyshire by 2030 has been boosted by a successful grant application resulting in funding of nearly £225,000.
Derbyshire County Council, working in partnership with Amber Valley Borough Council, Peak District National Park Authority, North East Derbyshire District Council and parish councils in Pilsley, Etwall and Pinxton, bid for the money from the Forestry Commission’s Local Authority Treescape Fund (LATF).
The grant will pay for 765 trees, aged between five and 10 years old, which will be planted in these areas and maintenance costs for three years.
The Treescape Fund was set up to help local authorities to establish more trees in areas such as parklands, riverbanks, copses and small woodlands alongside roads and footpaths. It is particularly aimed at treescapes that have been neglected or suffered damage in the past, including neglected, disused and vacant community spaces and those affected by tree diseases such as ash dieback.
Leader of Derbyshire County Council Councillor Barry Lewis who accepted the grant on behalf of the county council said: “Getting this grant is a real boost to our tree planting ambitions on our journey to becoming a net zero county by 2050 or sooner. Planting in these areas will bring considerable benefits to our eco systems and society. They will help with carbon absorption, flood protection and support for biodiversity. And the trees will naturally colonise creating extra green spaces in addition to our established woodlands.
“They will also take us another step closer to the target of planting of one million trees across our county, working with national bodies, community groups and residents by 2030.”
The county council will manage all aspects of the scheme including planting the trees – which will be two to three metres tall on planting – and maintaining them for the following three years as they get established and begin to thrive. They will be native trees species such as Oak, Beech, Hazel, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hornbeam, Willow and Rowan.
Work to confirm where the trees will be planted is currently taking place ahead of planting due to take place during winter 2022/23.