Following public consultation and a vote by the Community and Resources committee, Torridge District Council has announced plans to plant 1,000 trees at Gatefield Amenity Grassland on Londonderry Estate in Bideford.
The plans, which are fully funded as part of Devon County Council’s Local Authority Treescapes Project, are being delivered in partnership with local not-for-profit social enterprise Parklife South West. The scheme is supported by The Forestry Commission’s Local Authority Treescapes Fund.
Earlier this year, Torridge District Council invited residents to attend meetings to find out more about the proposed scheme and submit their views and ideas. Public consultation showed that there was overall support for the tree planting at the site. The feedback received helped to shape the plans and identified that current users wanted to retain an area of open space rather than footpaths for dog walking and other recreational activities, which formed part of the original proposal.
The plans have been designed to extend wildlife corridors and join up fragmented habitats to make these more resilient in face of threats to the environment. Tree planting at Gatefield will offset carbon emissions, improve local biodiversity and help to deliver the North Devon Biosphere’s ambitious Nature Recovery Plan, which includes an objective to plant 10,000 urban trees by 2025.
The Council will carry out the tree planting this winter at a couple of community tree planting events. These will be advertised as part of the Rangers volunteer programme, so please check Torridge District Council’s Facebook page and website for dates.
Tree species being planted include oak, beech, field maple, wild cherry, hawthorn, hazel, dogwood, dogrose, and spindle.
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