Thousands more trees to be planted in county

Councillors Philip Roberts, Natalie Oliver and Danny Brookes joined Ben Green, from the Woodland Trust (right), at a tree-planting ceremony in Horncastle

Thousands more trees are to be planted across Lincolnshire after the county council renewed its partnership with the Woodland Trust.

The deal will support the planting of 217,900 more trees and about 12 miles (19km) of hedgerow, Lincolnshire County Council said.

In previous years, the partnership has seen 207,000 trees planted. The arrangement will now run until 2028.

The council said the move was "particularly important" as canopy cover provided by trees and hedgerows in the county was "currently only 4%".

The plan includes giving away tree and hedgerow packs to residents and creating new woodlands and orchards.

Councillor Natalie Oliver, who represents Woodhall Spa and Wragby, attended a tree planting ceremony in Horncastle to mark the renewal of the collaboration.

She said: "Our county is world famous for its green spaces and incredible countryside and we're doing what we can to continue that.

"This will see thousands more trees and hedgerow plants going into the ground and that will carry on making a real difference to the people and wildlife in Lincolnshire."

Ben Green, from the Woodland Trust, said: "It is encouraging that our work has not come to an end but has been extended in this very pleasing way.

"We are creating woodlands that will stand the test of time, where future generations in centuries' time may well sit in the shade of the trees within them – a truly uplifting thought."

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