Funding secured for new trees in Gedling borough parks and open spaces providing much-needed boost for nature

Oak, Silver Birch, Scots Pine and other trees are being planted across Gedling borough thanks to funding from the Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF).

The LATF provided a total of £8,133.85 worth of funding, following a successful joint application by Gedling Borough Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

The funding is being used to plant new trees in non-woodland areas of Carlton, Arnold and Woodthorpe. 

Funding from the LATF is provided for the establishment of trees in non-woodland areas including parks, open spaces and existing hedgerows, as trees in these areas can provide the greatest levels of benefit to ecosystems and society, such as carbon absorption, flood protection and support for biodiversity.

519 trees will be planted across Gedling Borough thanks to the LATF funding at the following sites: 

• Thackeray’s Lane Recreation Ground, Woodthorpe
• Arno Vale Park, Woodthorpe
• Hobbucks Nature Reserve, Arnold
• Carlton Hill Recreation Ground, Carlton

An additional 1,351 trees will be planted in other areas, funded by existing council budgets and other external providers:

• Gedling Country Park
• King George V Recreation Ground, Carlton
• Killisick Recreation Ground, Arnold
• Arnot Hill Park, Arnold
• Burton Road Jubilee Park, Gedling

In total, more than 1,870 trees will be planted by the council’s Park Rangers with support from local schools, community groups and volunteers. They will be planting native tree species such as Hawthorn, Hazel, Field Maple Hornbeam, Cherry, Mountain Ash, Silver Birch and Oak, Scots Pine and Yew.

All the new trees will be planted during this year’s planting season, which runs until March, and the council will also be applying for further funding to plant more trees across the borough.

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE said: “We know how important trees and green spaces are, not only benefiting the environment and wildlife, but also helping to enhance local communities and support our own health and wellbeing too. 

“A priority for the council is to create a sustainable environment and we made a commitment to plant 500 trees each year, and by the time the planting season is over in March, we’ll have already passed this year’s target.

- Advertisement -

“We made a pledge to become net zero carbon by 2030 and projects like this will be instrumental in helping us achieve that. I’d like to thank the Forestry Commission for providing the funding, as well as our officers, local schools and volunteers involved with the planting, helping to make a real difference to our borough for now and for years to come.”