Thousands of trees to be planted across Shropshire in farming drive to boost biodiversity
Thousands of trees are set to be planted across Shropshire and Staffordshire by farmers in a bid to boost biodiversity.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) is working with the Woodland Trust on the project that will see 12,500 trees collected and planted on farms across five counties in the Midlands.
Free tree packs, funded by Lloyds Bank, are being handed out to farmers in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire over the next few weeks.
Each species has been selected by the Woodland Trust to suit each county’s farmland with 50 packs of 50 trees going out in each county.
Georgie Hyde, NFU Midlands land use and environment adviser, said: “Alongside food production, farmers across the region are heavily invested in the farmed environment and continuing to improve biodiversity on farm.
“Trees have an important role in improving habitat, reducing emissions, contributing to flood prevention and assisting with water quality improvement.
"Planting of a variety of native trees, which are all sourced and grown in the UK, will help diversify our tree population, increasing resilience to pests and diseases in the future.
“Species identified include two oak varieties, hornbeam, silver birch, wild cherry, hazel, crab apple, field maple, hawthorn, small-leaved lime, wild cherry and rowan.
“Experts will be on hand to discuss on-farm planting with those picking them up.”
She said that planting trees in the right places would help to lock up even more carbon on farmland, delivering on NFU ambitions around sustainability and climate. “Working with farmers on tree planting projects like this is important as they know the countryside on their farms inside out and are often best placed to determine where the right places for trees should be.”
Members of the NFU team joined Woodland Trust staff for the first giveaway session at Newark Showground on January 21 and a further one was set for Lower Drayton Farm in Penkridge on Thursday (January 29).
Further giveaway events were planned on Wednesday at Glebe Farm, Leadenham, and at Woodside Farm, Holt Heath, Worcestershire with the last on Friday at Buckatree Farm Cottage, at the foot of the Wrekin near Telford.
The scheme was fully subscribed and NFU farmer and grower members who have asked for trees, which come with guards and stakes, can collect them on the selected days from 10am to 2pm.
Jack Starbuck, Woodland Trust outreach adviser (Central), said: “We are glad to partner with the NFU for this tree pack project.
“I’m sure farmers across the region will all know of local trees that have been lost to tree disease and extreme weather events, and this scheme is a great opportunity to get some native trees back out into the landscape.
“The right trees planted in the right places on farms can provide many benefits beyond the wider climate and wildlife goals.
“They can also offer shade, shelter and fodder for livestock, help retain and improve soils, boost flood resilience and enhance air quality too.
“It is always a joy to meet NFU members at the tree pack giveaways and talk everything trees, hedgerows and woodlands.”
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