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Money for more trees in Oxfordshire
29/11/2022
Two new community tree and woodland planting roles are being created
Money is being provided to increase the number of trees in Oxfordshire. The County Council is set to receive £150,000 in funding from the Government’s Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund to kickstart tree planting in the county.
The cash will be used to bring on board new staff and to access the professional expertise needed to drive the project and achieve woodland creation. An emphasis will be placed on upskilling professionals from outside the forestry sector. This will help to expand the industry’s workforce, address skills shortages and help to grow the economy.
Oxfordshire County Council will create two new community tree and woodland planting roles as part of its collaboration with the district councils. The two new recruits will work to increase tree cover through training volunteer groups and further engaging the local community in woodland creation activities.
Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “We know we need to play catch-up with the increasing impacts of climate change. One of the most versatile and effective ways of tackling many climate impacts, including heat, storm, heavy rainfall, and soil erosion, is planting trees.
“Understanding and agreeing what trees to plant, and where, is a high priority of all Oxfordshire’s councils and the money from this joint bid for funding will allow us to do that as rapidly as possible.”
Richard Stanford, Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, said: “Local authorities have set out a range of inspiring and ambitious plans which equate to more than 10 million trees being planted on public land across England by 2025. The Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund will provide the support and resource needed to turn these aspirations into results, marking a significant step forward in our collective efforts to treble planting rates in England.
“Growing both our treescapes and the forestry sector workforce through this fund demonstrates how protecting and restoring our natural world with trees can unlock environmental, economic and social benefits for everyone.”
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam