Green Sefton to plant 1000 trees across Southport and Sefton

Sefton Council’s Green Sefton service is marking National Tree Week by planting 1,000 new trees across the Borough.

The trees have been donated by The Mersey Forest, one of 13 Community Forests across England. They will be planted in the coming months with support from community groups.

The announcement coincides with the start of the planting season during which the Council is hoping to plant around 270 large ‘standard’ trees. They will also be working with The Mersey Forest to plant thousands more saplings.

During the last planting season, Green Sefton Tree and Woodland officers oversaw the planting of 3,230 new trees that branched across 19 of the Borough’s wards in parks, woodland areas and along its highways.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:

“Sefton is a clean, green and beautiful place to live in and to visit. The Council is dedicated to maintaining its green spaces, which includes looking after 90,000 trees in our parks and on the highway, as well as countless more on the coast.

“I’d like to celebrate our small but expert Tree and Woodland team this National Tree Week, as they continue to do a sterling job overseeing the planting of thousands of new trees across our Borough every year.

“Just last weekend the team were working through the night managing more than 100 incidents of damage and fallen trees as a result of Storm Arwen. The aftermath of the storm was heart-breaking to see, with many mature trees falling victim to the extreme winds. I would ask residents to be patient as our small team coordinate the clear up, which is likely to take several weeks.

“We will do all we can to ensure that new trees are planted for those sadly lost to the storm, within resources and funding available, but this additional workload will inevitably have an impact on the forthcoming planting season. That is why it is vital that we continue to work alongside community groups and partners to drive forward more planting year on year.”

Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, said:

“Sefton is a key Partner in the Mersey Forest and we are pleased to be supporting the Council team to plant even more trees across the area this tree planting season. Trees provide a range of benefits for both the climate, environment and residents, helping people to connect with nature and the many health and wellbeing benefits that this provides.”

Sefton Council has also been successful in a bid for Government funding, thanks to its proactive efforts seeking out and submitting applications for investment in tree planting initiatives.

It will soon receive £41,873 as part of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF), which will support the planting of 44,000 large ‘standard’ trees across the UK by 2023. In Sefton, the additional funds will support the planting of 100 trees.

National Tree Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration, running from Saturday 27 November to Sunday 5 December. The week is coordinated by the Tree Council.

Tree planting plays a significant role in carbon capture and reducing the impact of climate change on the planet.

Cllr Moncur added:

“With an average tree storing around a tonne of carbon in its lifetime, our annual tree planting schedule contributes meaningfully towards our continued action on climate change. It has a vital role to play in ensuring that the Council reaches it net zero carbon target by 2030.

“Tree planting can also help to significantly improve air quality. The health and wellbeing of our residents is our main priority and air pollution is a growing public health concern, particularly for our most vulnerable residents. More trees can only be a positive contributory factor to improving the air we all breathe.”

Local businesses can also pledge to support the planting of more trees across the Borough, as well as a host of other activities and green initiatives, as part of the Green Sefton Business Supporter Scheme. The variety of ways businesses can get involved, can be found on the Council’s website at www.sefton.gov.uk/around-sefton/green-sefton/become-a-business-supporter/

If residents would like to know more about the work of the Tree and Woodland team, or have a request or question about tree planting in their ward, they can email [email protected] or visit the Council website at www.sefton.gov.uk/around-sefton/green-sefton/trees-in-sefton/

There may be a slightly delayed response from the team at present as they manage an unprecedented workload as a result of Storm Arwen.