Mass tree-planting in Chippenham to boost park

The trees will be planted at Monkton Park in Chippenham

Almost 2,000 trees are to be planted in Monkton Park in Chippenham.

A total of 1,720 trees are planned and the first stage of the work is due to be completed by 10 February.

Lower Riverside Meadow will be planted with trees and shrubs.

Chippenham Town Council's Environmental Services Team began the work on 6 February as part of the wider Monkton Park Management Plan to improve the site.

The project also aims to create woodland areas to help combat climate change and improve wellbeing.

'Habitat mosaic'

Care will be taken to ensure the trees survive the early stages, with plans to make regular checks to monitor damage from animals such as deer, according to the eLocal Democracy Reporting Service.

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust said: "Overall, the aim is to reach a point where roughly 55% of the site is managed as open grassland, 25% managed as scrub belts or islands and 20% as woodland.

"Distribution will be key to ensure pockets, belts and islands of plantings rather than larger expanses of dense monoculture.

"The idea is to create a habitat mosaic, offering opportunity for people to walk between planted areas, following meandering mown pathways."

The planting is to take place over three years, with roughly a third of the area planted in a year.