Tens of thousands of trees handed out to residents

Federica BedendoNorth East and Cumbria
News imageWestmorland and Furness Council A man and three women in high-viz coats hold saplings in their hands, ready to hand them out to the public. They are standing in a car park and they are all smiling at the camera.Westmorland and Furness Council
The council handed out free saplings to residents as part of its project to plant one tree per person living in Westmorland and Furness

Tens of thousands of saplings have been handed out to people in a bid to plant one new tree for each resident.

In 2023, Westmorland and Furness Council set itself a target to plant 250,000 trees in five years.

A recent call for residents to apply for free saplings has helped to take the total planted to 100,000 - about 40% of the target.

The Liberal Democrat-led council's cabinet member for climate, Giles Archibald, said increasing tree and hedgerow coverage played "a vital role in mitigating climate change impacts".

"We recognise the urgent need to take action on climate change and biodiversity loss," he said.

"The One Tree per Resident project is a major part of our commitment to a greener future, empowering our communities to make a real difference."

As well as working with residents directly, the council has teamed up with schools, community groups and landowners.

Using the Miyawaki method, a Japanese approach to creating fast-growing, dense native woodlands, it has created new micro woodlands in areas such as Barrow and Kendal cemeteries and Ormsgill Quarry.

The latest call for action has seen trees planted at Kirkby Lonsdale Golf Club and across Pooley Bridge.

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