45 new trees in Wallingford as planting initiative gets underway
Volunteers in Wallingford have planted 45 new trees at Radnor Road Green to help tackle climate change, and part of the town’s contribution to the Queen’s Green Canopy for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Members of local community group Friends of Wallingford and Cholsey Green Spaces and other volunteers from across the area carried out the work on Sunday 6 March. The volunteers planted a 38 tree community orchard, and seven other trees including walnut, sweet chestnut, oak, rowan and hawthorn.
The tree planting event was the first to be licensed in South Oxfordshire since the launch of the district council’s new tree planting policy. The policy outlines how South Oxfordshire District Council will support local tree planting initiatives, as well as how it will protect, plant and manage trees on council land.
South Oxfordshire District Council is now encouraging more communities to apply to plant trees. If you have an idea for a tree planting project, please talk to your local parish council or community group and encourage them to apply. For more information visit southoxon.gov.uk/trees
Cllr David Rouane, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, and Cllr Sue Roberts, a ward councillor for Wallingford, were among the district councillors who took part in the event.
Cllr David Rouane said: “It was really good to see so many people from across the local community join the tree planting efforts in Wallingford. Thank you and well done to Friends of Wallingford and Cholsey Green Spaces for putting the event together.
“Trees help to remove harmful emissions from the atmosphere, so it’s vital that we increase our tree cover across the district. I really hope this event inspires communities across the district to put forward their own tree planting initiatives – if you have an idea for a project, please get in touch with your local parish council or community group.”
Cllr Sue Roberts said: “We are at a time of climate crisis, and we need to hold together and do what we can as a community. This little orchard will bring joy and a tiny bit of food, but more importantly it sees people coming together, working for a common purpose. Residents of all ages and backgrounds came and helped with the planting; to bring back nature to our town, and to help tackle climate change. Tree-planting reminds us all of the importance of the natural world, showing us where food comes from and how our lives are bound up with nature.”
Sam Settle, from Friends of Wallingford and Cholsey Green Spaces, said: “It is wonderful to see people who live on the green, and those who have used it for many years, come out to help make this space more attractive to people of all ages, and to wildlife too. We look forward to people continuing to enjoy the green, and to coming together to maintain and care for the orchard throughout the year.”
Notes for editors:
Tackling the climate emergency is a major priority South Oxfordshire District Council which is aiming to become carbon neutral within its own operations by 2025.
The council’s new Climate Action Plan outlines the steps it will take to achieve this aim, as well as how it will support local efforts to tackle the climate emergency. This includes identifying sites for new tree planting and wilding opportunities on council land or through partnership opportunities on privately owned land to support natural carbon capture.
The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 which invites people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”.
Everyone from individuals to Scout and Girlguiding groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates are being encouraged to play their part to enhance our environment by planting trees during the official planting season between October to March.
