Sites for 'micro woods' honouring King confirmed

More than 1,000 trees will be planted in York to mark King Charles III's coronation

The sites of two "micro woods" paid for by a fund set up to celebrate the King's coronation have been agreed.

Councillors are expected to formally accept a grant of nearly £39,000 from the government’s Coronation Living Heritage Fund to establish the woods at a meeting later.

The woods, each consisiting of 600 trees, will be created in Rawcliffe and Holgate, with work expected to start next month.

The sites were selected from a total of 50 locations suggested by community groups in the city.

Paul McCabe, City of York Council's green streets project manager, said in a report the woods would be planted using the Miyawaki method.

This involves high density planting of native mixed broadleaf species.

"The method delivers fast-growing woods rich in biodiversity," the report said.

The new woods will each have 600 trees

The funding includes aftercare costs for three years to ensure the woodland is established.

"After which the woods will maintain themselves as they begin to self-select and gap-up to prevent weed growth."

The report said both sites for the woods, in Rawcliffe and Holgate, were deemed to be a high priority for tree planting by The Woodland Trust.

A third site, near Burnholme Sports Centre, in Heworth, has been chosen as a reserve option if either of the first two choices became unsuitable.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.