Swindon volunteers needed to help plant 10,000 trees

Volunteers at a recent tree planting session at Stanton Park

Volunteers are being sought to help plant 10,000 trees in country parks and other locations in and around Swindon.

It is part of the borough council's Trees for Climate programme, which has already seen 35 hectares of woodland planted since 2020.

"If anyone has any spare time, I encourage them to get involved," said Chris Watts, cabinet member for the Environment and Transport.

"One of our key missions is making net zero a reality by 2050," he added.

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Tree planting will take place at Mouldon Hill, Coate Water and Stanton Park over the next two planting seasons in 2024.

When fully grown, each hectare of new trees will annually capture and store around 295 tonnes of carbon dioxide, one of the main greenhouse gasses causing climate change.

Trees also help to improve soil quality, mitigate soil erosion, reduce pollution and flooding with more than 30% of the new trees being planted in areas that support natural flood management.

More volunteers are being sought by Swindon Borough Council to help plant 10,000 trees over the next two planting seasons

The tree planting sessions will be organised by South Marston Parish Council and St Andrews Parish Council, in partnership with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

It builds on the work of the Great Western Community Forest (GWCF), which encompasses popular sites such as Nightingale Wood, Stanton Park, Stratton Wood and Shaw Forest Park.

"While it may seem like the simplest thing to do, planting more trees is hugely beneficial to the local environment, as well as creating fantastic places for residents to enjoy," said Mr Watts.

Tree planting sessions start on 23 February and continue throughout March.