‘110,000 new trees for South Ribble’: Council announces ambitious target

Back row: Coun Paul Foster, Leader of South Ribble Borough Council; Jennifer Mullin, director of Neighbourhoods and Development; Andrew Richardson, assistant director of Neighbourhoods; Coun Bill Evans, cabinet member for Planning, Regeneration and City Deal at South Ribble Borough Council; Coun Aniela Bylinski Gelder, cabinet member for Community Engagement, Social Justice and Wealth Building at South Ribble Borough Council; Coun Mick Titherington, deputy leader and cabinet member for Health, Wellbeing and Leisure at South Ribble Borough Council. Front row: Pupils from Woodlea Junior School - all members of the schools Eco Council

This represents one new tree for every resident currently living in the borough - it is estimated that there are 110,527 people in South Ribble.

The tree-planting programme started in December 2019 and will take place over the next three years.

It is aimed to help improve the air quality in South Ribble and contribute towards the council’s commitment to be a carbon-neutral borough by 2030.

Pupils from Woodlea Junior School, Leyland, were on hand to help unveil the barometer to help keep count of the number of trees planted in South Ribble as part of Our Big Tree Plant.

To kick-start the project, South Ribble Borough Council held a tree give-away event in November 2019, where over 3,000 trees and hedging whips were given to residents free of charge to plant in their gardens.

Planting around the borough is also off to a good start with trees planted in locations including:

 Balcarres Green, Leyland

 John Horrocks Way, Penwortham

 Withy Grove Park, Bamber Bridge

 Longton Brickcroft Nature Reserve, Longton

The total number of trees planted at these sites, and several smaller sites, now stands at 30,000.

Coun Susan Jones, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Ribble Borough Council, said: “Back in May, we promised to plant a tree for every resident in the borough – it seemed a little ambitious, but eight months in, we are very proud of the efforts of everyone in the community. Plans have been drawn up for suitable sites and planting is progressing well. We encourage residents, businesses and schools to join in Our Big Tree Plant by planting trees at their homes or premises and adding them to the South Ribble planting total.”

Mr Payne, Curriculum Leader at Woodlea Junior School in Leyland, said: “We are very happy to be included in launching the Our Big Tree Plant barometer today. As a school we take the environment and tackling climate change very seriously. We have an Eco Council in school and have planted 50 trees so far and hope to plant a wild flower meadow next.”