Bradford on Avon Town Council have plans to plant 3,500 trees around the town.
Local residents of all ages have already helped to plant over 1,000 trees in a community planting event at Poulton Park to create a mini forest in the park.
The trees planted included Alder, Silver Birch, Hornbeam, Hazel, Holly, Dogwood, Beech, Hawthorn, Crab Apple, English Oak, Sessile Oak, Bird Cherry and Wild Cherry.
The trees were planted following the Miyawaki method. Miyawaki forests are miniature forests often planted by community groups where dense planting aims to allow trees will grow more quickly, improve biodiversity and absorb more CO2.
The work was funded by a £96,000 grant from the Forestry Commission secured through Wiltshire Council.
Hedgerows
The Town Council’s Green Spaces Officer and Town Wardens have planted over 600 tree whips to create hedgerows in areas they manage, thanks to a generous donation of tree whips from The Conservation Volunteers.
Hedgerows are vital for all kinds of wildlife; connecting habitat, providing wind shelter, nesting sites and food for pollinator insects – who in turn feed birds.
With Bradford on Avon Town Council declaring both a Climate and Ecological Emergency, this work goes toward their efforts to negate the impact of human activity on the climate and to restore habitat and local biodiversity across the town.
‘Loss of hedgerows has been identified as a factor in the decline of many plant and animal species.’ (RSPB England)
Chris Hogg
