Solihull Council and the Woodland Trust have agreed a long term partnership which will see the Trust providing 11,886 trees in the first year at a cost of nearly £23,000 as a contribution towards the Council’s Planting Our Future project.

Planting Our Future will encourage Solihull residents to engage with tree planting projects, get involved in other green infrastructure projects across the borough and offer support to private land owners who wish to plant trees.   At the heart of the campaign is Solihull Council’s commitment to planting 250,000 trees over the next ten years by involving local schools, residents, businesses and community groups with added support from Solihull Tree Wardens.

Cllr Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council, says: “On behalf of the Council I would like to offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to the Woodland Trust for this funding.  It is a great contribution to kick-start our Planting Our Future project this year. 

Cllr Courts continues:  “Trees are massively important for our environment and for our health.  Our commitment to planting at least 250,000 trees over the next 10 years is a bold but vital move as part of our wider commitment towards the climate change agenda.   But we cannot do this work alone.  We need others to come forward to offer or help identify the land needed to meet the 250,000 target.

“It is imperative we develop new long term partnerships with leading industry organisations like the Woodland Trust.  This funding and, most importantly, the commitment towards a long term partnership is fantastic news and I look forward to working with the Woodland Trust for many years to come.”

Stuart Holm, Outreach Manager for Woodland Trust, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support the work of Solihull Council and its tree planting ambitions. As well as being an important tool in tackling the climate crisis, trees within urban environments provide a whole host of benefits for people and wildlife including shade provision, improvement in air quality, and habitat creation for all kinds of wildlife. We’re looking forward to getting stuck in this coming winter, when trees start going in the ground.”

Solihull Council, through its environmental initiative, Love Solihull, has a number of projects planned for this year including planting a new woodland dedicated in remembrance of those who have lost family or friends to Covid-19.

To find out more about Planting our Future visit www.lovesolihull.org/plantingourfuture or email [email protected]