Council call for more land to plant trees

Released:

Solihull Council is calling on landowners including schools, hotels, golf courses and private landowners to come forward and offer land for tree planting.  

The Council has pledged to plant 250,000 trees over the next ten years as part of its commitment to tackle climate change.

In the last year, the Council has worked with partners including local colleges and charities to find homes for some of the 25,000 trees planted in the borough.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Courts, is spearheading this 'planting our future' campaign and said: “Through our Climate Change Prospectus we are committed to making the Council carbon neutral by 2030 and the borough by 2041. This tree planting initiative is just one way we want to achieve the targets and I encourage people across Solihull to get behind it.”

Cllr Courts continued: “Trees are the lungs of the planet and have numerous benefits, providing complex micro-habitats and a healthy eco-system.  By rewilding our land, we can offer shelter and food to wildlife and help people reconnect with nature.  We know how important trees and green spaces have been for people’s health and wellbeing during the pandemic. The benefits that these new trees will bring over time cannot be underestimated.”

The Council’s environmental initiative Love Solihull is offering support and guidance on which trees would be most suitable and how the work can be funded. 

Landowners should email Plantingourfuture@solihull.gov.uk for more information. The Love Solihull team can also be contacted via Twitter and Instagram.