Plans for micro forest as part of Ramsey housing project

The developer said native trees would "store carbon and keep the air clean"

The first of several "micro forests" will be planted as part of a housing development in the north of the Isle of Man, its developers have said.

The urban woodland will be created on an acre of land as part of Hartford Homes' Royal Park project in Ramsey.

A total of 1,600 Manx native trees will be be used to create several small forests, a spokesman for the firm said.

The scheme, to offset carbon emissions, has been backed by Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT) and the town's local authority.

MWT's conservation officer Andre Dubbeldam said the forests would create a network of "biodiversity hotspots".

Ramsey Commissioner Geoff Court said the "exciting" project was a "step away from the traditional parkland planting schemes".

Hartford Homes first "micro forest" is set to be planted at an estate in Ramsey

Hartford Homes architect George Li said the move aimed to "balance the impact of building new homes with climate change mitigation".

The pilot project would include walkways, seating areas and native wildflower borders, and was the first of several planned for other housing projects in 2022, the developer added.

Mr Dubbledam, who will coordinate the design and planting, said the wilder spaces bring birds and wildlife "into our everyday lives".

Among the benefits were allowing communities to "closely engage with nature" and "enabling a generation of children to grow up to see these micro forests mature", he added.