National Tree Week is the largest tree celebration in the UK, marking the start of the tree planting season celebrating the beauty and importance of trees in our environment and life. There are many projects taking place across the county to address the problem of biodiversity loss, to promote resilient tree management and to help futureproof the natural environment in response to climate change.
Cheshire Wildlife Trust has an ambitious target as part of their 30 by 30 aim to create 2000ha of new woodland across Cheshire by 2030.
The Wildlife Trusts are calling for at least 30% of our land and sea to be connected and protected for nature’s recovery by 2030. Making more space for nature to become abundant once again will give struggling wildlife the chance to recover and restore beautiful wild places - places that store carbon and help to tackle the climate crisis.
30% is the bare minimum that nature needs to start recovering but we are far short of this and need help to turn things around.
Ellie Morris, Nature Recovery Programme Manager for Cheshire Wildlife Trust said:
“Working alongside The Mersey Forest and City of Trees (the community forest for Greater Manchester), through Defra’s Trees for Climate programme, we are aiming to plant 2000ha of new native woodland by 2030. Less than 5% of Cheshire has tree cover, so this partnership project, alongside working with private landowners, is vitally important in our fight against climate change and nature’s recovery.”
Alongside planting new woodlands across the county, Cheshire Wildlife Trust have created a new tree nursery at Bickley Hall Farm, thanks to the Green Recovery Challenge Fund and The Mersey Forest, which supports the propagation of a small number of locally scarce, and difficult to source, native tree species as well as pioneer woodland wildflower species. Neither of which feature within the vast majority of newly planted woodlands.
We are planting black poplar, crab apple and wild service trees amongst other harder to source species, and this year we have taken advantage of a bumper acorn season which will all help to boost our tree planting programme over the next few years.
Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, said:
“We’re looking forward to continuing to work alongside the Cheshire Wildlife Trust to help increase tree coverage across the local area. Every tree planted in our area helps to grow the Mersey Forest and wider Northern Forest, which stretches from Liverpool to the Yorkshire coast. These new woodlands will benefit both local wildlife and our communities for many generations, providing more green space for people to enjoy, whilst boosting biodiversity.”
Pete Stringer, Resilience Manager at City of Trees, added:
“It’s very exciting to be working with Cheshire Wildlife Trust on such an ambitious project. Planting so many trees will not only provide great benefits to the people and wildlife of Cheshire but will also help the people of Greater Manchester by intercepting and slowing water entering the Mersey Catchment system which can help to reduce flood risk where they live and work.”
Why not explore your nearest woodland this National Tree Week or visit one of Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s woodland reserves: www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/our-work-wildlife/living-landscapes/woodland