ANOTHER 1,000 TREES TO BE PLANTED IN MIDDLESBROUGH

A successful bid has been made for funding to plant more than 1,000 extra trees in Middlesbrough over the next two years.

Middlesbrough Council made an application to the Urban Tree Challenge Fund for £477k which will allow for the planting of 1,140 trees.

Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston, who has made a priority of environmental issues, today said it was another big step towards the ambition of planting more than 15,000 trees in the town.

He said: "We're talking more and more about the environment and how we fight climate change but actions always speak louder than words and this is real action.

"Every single mature tree absorbs 20 kilos of carbon which is absolutely fantastic but they do so much more as well including changing the look of any area for the better and being great for mental health."

Today's news follows on from the previous successful funding application to the Urban Tree Challenge Fund in 2019 which has seen 1,200 trees planted in the 2020-2021 financial year.

The Urban Tree Challenge is run by the Forestry Commission to provide support for planting trees across England's towns and cities that are appropriate for the setting they are in, be it a street or a community woodland.

The new trees will be planted next year with half in spring and the second half of them in Autumn.

Cllr Barrie Cooper, Middlesbrough Council's Executive Member for Environment, Finance and Governance, said: "We'll always look for schemes and funding opportunities to improve Middlesbrough and we are delighted to secure this money from the Urban Tree Challenge Fund and we're looking forward to getting to work on getting the trees into the ground."

Approved schemes to improve the Middlesbrough environment in the 2021-22 financial year include:

• Sewing 30,000m2 of wild flowers;
• Planting 15,000 trees;
• Installation of bee hives across Middlesbrough with a ‘Buzz in Boro' guide;
• Purchase electric vehicles to replace fossil fuelled vehicles;
• Designation of Lower Ormesby Beck as a nature reserve; and
• Extra work to improve recycling rates.

Also in the plan is work to roll out climate change training to all council employees, work with business to reduce commercial waste and increase recycling and methods to measure and monitor the town's carbon output.

ENDS

Press Notice 6738. 08/12/21

Issued by Andrew Pain, Senior Communications Officer on 01642 729503.

www.middlesbrough.gov.uk

Follow Middlesbrough Council on Twitter: @MbroCouncil

NOTES TO EDITORS

Picture caption

Pn6719 Tree planting 1 - Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston, second right, with Cllr Barrie Cooper, Executive Member for Environment, Finance and Governance, right, Cllr Graham Wilson, left and Cllr Janet Thompson, centre left, at a previous tree planting on College Road.