The week kicks off at the best time of year for planting trees, giving them a good start to grow strong and healthy. People around the county are being encouraged to take part and Plant a Tree in ’23.
Funded through a Forestry Commission grant, activities to be carried out this week include planting 40 trees at schools, including an orchard at Greenfields Community Primary School. A mix of apple, plum, pear and cherry trees will be planted providing a learning resource as well as a food for students.
The Plan Tree team will also lend a hand to students at The Abbey School on Thursday 30th November who will plant 22 native species including oak, Wild Service, Hornbeam, Field Maple, and Rowan, which will provide shade over picnic tables for pupils to enjoy.
The planting comes as part of KCC’s ambition to plant 60,000 trees a year, which will go towards the wider goal to increase Kent’s tree cover by 1.5 million.
KCC has recently won an additional £300,000 of funding from the Local Authority Treescape Fund to plant 11,648 trees this season and another 11,127 next season across 50 sites.
“There are numerous community benefits to planting trees and National Tree Week is a great opportunity to boost the work we are doing.”
KCC’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment, Tony Hills, said: “National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration. Each year, the country’s conservation sector, volunteer groups and tree-lovers come together to plant thousands of trees to mark the start of the tree planting season.
“There are numerous community benefits to planting trees and National Tree Week is a great opportunity to boost the work we are doing.
“Using funds we have received from various grants we are able to work further towards our ambition of increasing the tree cover in Kent.”
Greenfields Community Primary School Deputy Headteacher, Richard Minton, said: “Our new orchard will further enhance the engaging and fulfilling environment provided for our youngest children and the wider school. For those who attend our Nursery classes, it will begin their learning about healthy food, natural processes and the seasons.
“Older children from across the school will use the space to develop their scientific understanding as well as the land management skills to maintain the trees. All our children will benefit from the produce created in the Orchard and it will be a source of great pride for our school.”
To find out more about KCC’s work to establish trees in Kent visit the Kent County Council website.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- KCC’s tree establishment strategy – Kent’s Plan Tree – sets out the aims we have for increasing tree cover in the county. You can view it here: Kent Plan Tree – our tree establishment strategy - Kent County Council
- For more information visit The Tree Council website: National Tree Week - join the UK's largest tree celebration (treecouncil.org.uk)
