Every household in Wales will be given a free tree to plant by the Welsh Government to help tackle climate change
Every household in Wales will be offered a free tree to plant as part of the Welsh Government’s bid to tackle climate change, Deputy Minister Lee Waters promised today.
The new policy will give people the chance to choose a tree of their own to plant or opt to have a tree planted on their behalf.
Speaking at a visit to a major Coed Cadw woodland creation project in Neath at the start of National Tree Week, Lee Waters said the Welsh Government had partnered with the Woodland Trust to deliver the campaign.
The first trees will be available to collect from March, from one of five regional community hubs that will be established. The Welsh Government aims to set up a further 20 hubs across wales by October 2022.
Earlier this year, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change set up a task force into tree planting which identified a set of actions the Welsh Government needed to take forward to avoid the effects of climate change.
Deputy Minister Lee Waters said: “Trees are amazing – they save lives by keeping our air clean, they improve people’s physical and mental health, they are essential for tackling our nature emergency, improving biodiversity and, of course, in tackling climate change.
“The deep dive made it clear to me that everyone will have a part to play if we are to be successful in tackling climate change and realising our ambitions to create a National Forest for Wales.
“I am therefore pleased to announce we have partnered with the Woodland Trust to deliver a campaign that will provide every household in Wales an opportunity to plant a free tree in Wales.
“This will enable people in Wales to further understand and experience the many benefits that trees can provide, not only to the environment but also to people’s health and wellbeing.”
Lee Waters also revealed that a consultation would launch early in 2022 on plans to create a National Forest for Wales.
‘Watch it grow’
Lee Waters said that everyone in Wales could benefit from the national campaign to plant a tree.
“We understand that not all households will be able to plant a tree themselves, but will still be keen to get involved,” he explained.
“That is why we will make an option available to ‘plant a tree for me’, which will allow for people to opt to have a free tree planted on their behalf at locations across Wales via the community hubs and volunteers.
“Instruction and guidance, including the location of community hubs near you and how to claim your tree, will soon be available through various information webpages but also locally on the ground via a network of volunteers in every area.”
Natalie Buttriss, Coed Cadw Director said they were “delighted” to work with the Welsh Government in this “great community tree giveaway to get thousands of native trees in the ground”.
“While tree-planting is only one way to help tackle climate change, it is a simple and enjoyable way for every single person in Wales to have the chance to plant a tree and watch it grow,” she said.
“This project will be open to all types of people living in Wales and we hope it will inspire many individuals and local community groups to become involved. We want people from all backgrounds to be part of planting the National Forest for Wales.”
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Plant a 🌳 in 73 – Plant one more in 74 ……many of us remember this Gvt Add ……soon forgotten 🥲. We need a national community bottom up approach with each area tasked to deliver a real sustainable project that will add to a national network across Wales. Playing on the edges with a few of the great and the good photoed digging in trees 🌳 – is a horrific waste. Schools , Communities and groups plus clubs need to be offered grants and also young saplings to plant in registered and overseen / mapped small schemes. Community ownership and… Read more »
Seriously, there are loads of different small grants and big grants out there for local organisations to put in for. My local community is on the case and its taking over our lives because there is so much we can get out there and do. Don’t wait for someone else to do it – get out there and be the change you want to see
Stop moaning all of you and get organising
Quite right Cat – agree 💯 per cent but folk need easy access to grants which should be the key focus of governmental campaigns and focused on existing community enablers.
Even the thousands of tiny poky lego set clone homes with barely no garden that the Welsh Government seem so intent to force on our communities, when the natural population is in decline? I wonder how much carbon was used, and how many trees and green fields were destroyed, building these un-needed ‘settlements’ as they are ironically called? Good idea in principal, but hypocrisy methinks.
The carbon squandered over this exercise would be better spent on sorting the chronically dysfunctional NRW.
Meanwhile, we’re worried over multinationals buying Welsh farms to offset their carbon footprint by planting trees.
How very unjoined up. Oh well, it’ll keep arborists going in around 10 years time.
Most governments and their myriad departments are havens of disjointed thinking. Driven by gimmickry and egotism.
Another ridiculous, pointless gimmick by this useless Labour government.
So Glen, what do you suggest? Anything other than the cynical views of the corrupt tories?
Give it ten years and there will be all out war with the people next door losing their light and view the political class don’t live in the real world
Legally you can’t stop someone blocking your view from your house but you can stop someone blocking your light.
Legally you can stop someone blocking your view. You just have to have a strong case, a deepish pocket, and pay for the action yourself.