Telford residents urged to ‘plant a tree for the Jubilee’ during National Tree Week

National Tree Week, which runs until December 5, is the Tree Council’s annual campaign celebrating trees and is timed to coincide with the start of the winter tree planting season.

Across the country, thousands of people will be planting trees to help support a greener future.

In Telford and Wrekin, the council is encouraging residents, organisations and businesses to get involved by planting a tree on their land, and logging their planting as part of a national project linked to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Councillor Carolyn Healy, cabinet member for cabinet member for climate change, green spaces, natural and historic environment, said: “To celebrate these tree plantings, we’d love people to log them on an interactive map that has been specially created as part of the national Queen’s Green Canopy project.”

The interactive map, which encourages everyone to ‘plant a tree for the Jubilee’, will be gifted to the Queen to mark her Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Councillor Healy said: “We are fortunate to have approximately 15 million trees in Telford and Wrekin, but more would be even better – increasing biodiversity, capturing carbon and making our local environment even more attractive and enjoyable.

“That’s why we recently ran a hugely popular campaign called Trees4TW which saw us deliver more than 14,000 free tree saplings to individuals and organisations across the borough.

“And it’s why we’ve committed to supporting the borough’s green network with a recently-announced £2 million investment directed towards our wonderful green spaces and £1 million going to our local parks.

“But we need and welcome our community’s support too. So please do consider planting a tree this National Tree Week.

“In private gardens trees will encourage nature. On business curtilage, they can help to improve air quality and contribute to your carbon reduction plans.

"In school grounds, tree planting offers great educational opportunities – the Woodland Trust is even inviting schools and community groups to apply for free trees.

“On Sunday, I will be planting trees with Viessmann Ltd at their Hortonwood premises.

"This project will see 250 ‘whips’ (tree saplings) planted across 0.2Ha of the site’s land as part of the company’s pledge to support the Woodland Trust’s Big Climate Fightback."

Vikki Robbins, of Viessmann, said: “Viessmann stands for sustainable and environmentally-friendly climate solutions. We are keen to lead by example when it comes to tree planting and we’d love to see other local businesses following suit.”

Councillor Healy added: “This type of activity is brilliant. We want to encourage and publicly recognise organisations that are running large scale tree plantings.

"Please email queensgreencanopy@telford.gov.uk to find out about qualifying for a plaque.”

Log your tree planting on the Queen's Green Canopy interactive map at queensgreencanopy.org/map-education-hub/qgc-map/#/

Apply for free trees for your school or community from the Woodland Trust by visiting woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/schools-and-communities