Thousands of trees have arrived at Test Valley Borough Council as the authority’s community and leisure team gets ready to plant them across the borough.
This National Tree Week, the council’s officers have received the 10,000 whips, otherwise known as small trees, as planting is set to get underway as part of TVBC’s recent pledge to plant them to help tackle the climate emergency and to improve ecological corridors between green spaces.
Volunteers from a number of local community groups including TARCA, Andover Trees United and Friends of the Parks will be helping officers and contractors to plant the trees in various locations, including Picket Twenty urban park, Valley Park woodlands and Hunts Farm. If appropriate land can be found, it is the council’s aim to plant 10,000 trees for the next three years.
Public planting events are also taking place as part of the efforts, with the next being held at Anton Lakes on Saturday, 11 December from 10am until 2pm.
Climate change and countryside portfolio holder, councillor Alison Johnston, said: “It’s incredibly apt that this week, we celebrate National Tree Week, which highlights the importance of the natural world around us. Not only will this planting contribute in the long term to our fight against climate change, but they also help to provide wildlife rich spaces that we can enjoy, something which has proven very important over the last 18 months.
“It is our pledge to plant these trees to help our borough and its environment, and I look forward to seeing them in their new homes over the coming months.”
Leader of the council, Phil North, added: “My thanks to the volunteers who will be helping the team to plant these trees in their various locations across the borough. We want to keep pushing forward with pledges like these, and that’s why we hope to replicate this feat over the next few years.”
