Hertfordshire County Council is offering residents the chance to claim free trees as part of its ‘Your Tree Our Future’ scheme which will see 100,000 trees given away over the next four years...
The scheme will help the council to deliver on several of its Sustainable Hertfordshire ambitions as planting trees has a positive impact on air quality, helps reduce the carbon in our atmosphere, supports biodiversity and can help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. In addition, access to natural features has been linked with benefits to physical and mental health.
The ‘Your Tree Our Future’ scheme was created as part of the county council’s Tree and Woodland Strategy, which sets out how the council will increase tree cover in the county. The project will be delivered in partnership with all ten district and borough councils.
Cllr Eric Buckmaster, Executive Member for The Environment at Hertfordshire County Council said: “As part of our Sustainable Hertfordshire Strategy, we have committed to enabling our residents and businesses to take positive climate action, and the Your Tree Our Future scheme is a fantastic opportunity for them to get involved.
“Working in partnership with our district and borough colleagues to give our residents the tools to help tackle the climate crisis is a great example of the kind of cooperation that we need to create a more sustainable Hertfordshire.”
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “I’m delighted that we secured funding with Hertfordshire County Council to plant many more trees in our town, and that residents are being given the opportunity to get more involved with making Watford a greener place to live. Two years ago, the council unveiled its ambitious Tree and Woodland Strategy, which included the goal of planting 20,000 trees over the next four years and increasing the town’s tree canopy cover from 18% to 20% - which is above the national average - over the next ten years.
Hertfordshire residents can visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/yourtree where they will be able to choose from a selection of eight different native species, or a hedgerow pack, which will be provided on a first come first served basis. Residents who have successfully requested free trees will receive an email from the council with details of how to collect them from a local pick-up point in December 2022.
