Councils begin winter tree planting project

A winter tree planting project has started across Adur and Worthing which will eventually see more than 150 planted in the area.

Funded by The Tree Council, Adur District Councils’ Parks Team have put in place eight different ‘native’ saplings made up of four English Oaks, a Small Leaved Lime, a Hornbeam, a Sycamore and an Elm which is resistant to Dutch Elm Disease.

The next phase at Park Avenue Open Space, in Shoreham, which is funded by the Brighton Permaculture Trust as part of their “Growing Community Orchards” programme, will be undertaken by volunteers and assisted by the Permaculture Trust where 10 Apple trees will be planted.

As part of Adur & Worthing Councils’  budget, there are also plans to plant a mixture of street trees such as English Oak, Willow leaved Pear, Sweet Gum, Birch, Norway Maple, Broad Leaved Cockspur and Scarlet Hawthorn at sites in Tower Road, North Road, Grosvenor Avenue, Hamble Road, Sompting Road and Sompting Recreation Ground.

The remaining trees to be planted in the parks and open spaces are standard trees around 2.5 to 3.5 metres which will be planted through the winter and completed by March.

Cllr Emma Evans, Adur District Council's Executive Member for the Environment, said: “Projects like this to plant trees is something we regularly do here as we try to reduce our carbon footprint. But as well as playing a vital role benefiting the environment, trees are also hugely beneficial for enhancing the character of an area, as well as boosting wildlife.”

Cllr Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council's Executive Member for Digital and Environmental Services, added: “We're really excited about this project as we know that it will make a real difference to communities across the region.

“Trees are a precious natural asset and are a vital part of the fight against climate change. Trees also create habitats for wildlife, improve biodiversity, and aid wildlife corridors, as well as being hugely beneficial for our wellbeing.”

Trees will be planted at a host of sites around the area including Buckingham Park, Southwick Green, Parklands, Malthouse Meadow and Lancing Manor in Adur and Longcroft Park, Highdown North Field, Beach House Park and Hillbarn Recreation Ground, in Worthing.

There are also a number of small Ash trees, commonly called whips, that will be delivered under the normal winter planting programme, which will also be funded by the Councils. These will replace the ones felled as part of the Ash tree dieback project.

This is just one part of the Councils’ wider SustainableAW programme, which outlines the commitment to tackle climate change and protect our natural environment.

The Councils are responsible for more than 18,000 including landmark ones such as the Ilex Way in Goring, the spooky Midsummer Tree in Broadwater and 200-year-old sweet chestnuts in Buckingham Park.

The Tree Council, which was established in 1973, is a charity that aims to bring governments, communities and individuals together to care for trees and improve the planet's future environment at both national and local level.

Growing Community Orchards is a government initiative that promotes and encourages neighbourhoods to gain access to green spaces and make use of land such as parks, allotments and nature reserves to plant trees and wildflowers.