Teignbridge District Council (TDC) is hosting an exciting programme of tree planting this spring and the initiative kicks off this week with a seminar followed by outdoor rooting events at three public locations.
The local authority’s ambitious project is supported by a number of expert partners, including the Woodland Trust, Forestry Commission, Environment Agency and Devon County Council (DCC).
Members of the community will also be able to get involved as the tree-planting programme branches out over the next few weeks. Among the local groups attending the seminar in the Council Chamber at Forde House, Newton Abbot, on Thursday are Action on Climate in Teignbridge (ACT).
The seminar will be opened at 9.00 a.m. by Cllr Andrew MacGregor, who is responsible for sport, leisure and culture at TDC. Among the speakers during the morning event will be a tree expert, a Teignbridge planning officer, two delegates from the Woodland Trust, a Woodland Creation Officer from the Forestry Commission, a DCC tree officer, an Environment Agency flood risk adviser and ACT’s lead for Ecology, Food Farming and Forestry.
First phase
Closing remarks will be delivered by Cllr Jackie Hook, TDC’s Climate Change Champion. After a break for lunch, the first phase of tree-planting will begin at three Teignbridge locations from 2.00 in the afternoon:
Sandringham Park Newton Abbot
Michaels Field, Bishopsteignton
Dawlish Leisure Centre, Sandy Lane, Dawlish
Journalists are invited to attend the seminar but also to take advantage of the photo opportunities provided in these three dispersed locations, which it is hoped will encourage widespread coverage of the project.
Cllr MacGregor said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing this exciting programme taking root and spreading its boughs and branches across the district.
“Our aim is to eventually see 500 trees in each of the three locations this planting season. This week is only the launch event and we hope to see members of the community getting involved as more saplings become available for planting.
Survival
“The varieties of tree to be planted have been carefully chosen to ensure they have the best possible chance of survival and the spot where each sapling is dug in has been selected to help each one to thrive and grow strongly”.
In her closing comments and call to action, Cllr Jackie Hook said of the project: “Trees make an absolutely vital contribution to our physical and mental well-being and the health of the planet. They not only form a wonderful part of the landscape but of course they have an important function in carbon capture and a positive impact on our Eco-system.
“Climate Change is one of our greatest challenges and we need to plant trees to redress the balance, as well as replacing those lost through diseases like Dutch Elm and Ash Dieback. I’m delighted that this project is getting into the ground and I hope that people all over the district will join us as the programme progresses”.
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