A total of 2,800 new trees are being planted throughout the city between now and spring 2024 as part of the Plymouth Tree Challenge.
The £1.3 million investment from the Council’s Capital Programme includes £425k funding from the Forestry Commission’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund and £120k from our Plan for Trees partners.
The 2,800 new trees will be added to the 394,000 trees that are already contained throughout Plymouth, and will be in fully accessible public places such as parks and open spaces, road verges, residential streets and outside housing developments.
The investment will also establish an action plan to mitigate the impact of Ash Dieback, a destructive disease that presents a significant risk to the loss of trees in the city.
Plymouth's trees and woodlands, including those in urban areas, make our city a great place to live, work, do business and create an environment to invest in.
More trees to Plymouth’s existing green coverage (52 per cent of total land) will help deliver on our Climate Emergency commitments by reducing C02 emissions, absorbing pollution and improving air quality.
Greening programmes also have many other benefits that include providing habitat for wildlife, improving urban aesthetics and benefitting the mental health of residents.
The newly established trees will be supported by the principles of our Plan for Trees which help trees in urban areas become fit for purpose, resilient to the challenges of climate change and disease, and adaptable to whatever new challenges the future may hold.
There are four themes to the Plan for Trees, which are:
- To promote the benefits and value of our trees through education and encouraging best practice
- To protect Plymouth’s special trees and woodlands for future generations
- To care for our trees by practicing and promoting good tree and woodland management
- To enhance urban areas by increasing tree canopy cover.
Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene said: “We all love trees and planting trees on this scale provides a legacy and investment for future generations in Plymouth. Our tree programme not only commits to establishing new trees but also supports our existing trees, making sure they are suitably nurtured, ensuring communities get their full benefits.
“This is a yet another step for the Council and our partners towards achieving a carbon neutral city by 2030.”