100,000 trees in Bath & North East Somerset

The number of trees in Bath & North East Somerset could be doubled as part of the council’s commitment to tackle the climate emergency.

Bath & North East Somerset Council aims to deliver on ambitions published by the West of England Nature Partnership to double woodland across the district by 2060, outlining an early ambition of planting 100,000 trees, with partners and communities, by May 2023.

More than 2,000 trees have already been planted in Bath & North East Somerset this year through the council working with community groups and partners and funded by contributions from new developments within the district.

The latest plans lead up to the Woodland Trust’s Big Climate Fightback in November which aims to get more than a million people to pledge to plant a tree during a special day of mass tree planting on 30 November.

Dave Wood, joint cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Neighbourhood Services, said: “These are ambitious plans to tackle the climate emergency that shows Bath and North East Somerset Council is leading the way nationally on tree planting.  Following the local elections we said we would show real leadership on tackling the Climate Emergency and this is just one example of what we are doing.

“Knowing the positive contribution that trees make to reducing pollution, mental health, averting flooding, producing vital oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide, I am committed to increased tree planting. However, reforestation and re-wilding needs to be considered properly alongside the diversity of habitats.

“Our Parks team replants up to eight trees for every one felled by development and is already investing £65,000 in tree planting in parks over the next five to 10 years. The Bathscape project is working with landowners on better managed woodlands, grasslands and planting trees in the right places to prevent loss of wildlife-rich habitats.”