Community forests helping to 'green the grey'
BBCAlmost 2.5 million trees have been planted across Devon and Cornwall as part of forest schemes since 2019, organisers have said.
Local communities have been involved in planting projects across both counties, including the creation of micro-forests in schools, new hedgerows and woodland.
"From somewhere to gather, to helping flood resilience, trees bring so many benefits for communities," said Peter Hawking-Sash, programme manager for Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest.
Meanwhile, the Forest for Cornwall initiative, which aims to increase nature for residents and help absorb carbon emissions, will soon reach the two million tree milestone.
Hawking-Sash said: "In Plymouth, we've delivered nearly 60,000 trees over the last five years.
"On Dartmoor and in South Devon as well, we've worked to deliver some large-scale improvements that will see half a million trees planted by the end of this planting season."
The funding for the project has come from the government's Trees for Climate Fund.
Jasmine Reid, a member of Plymouth City Council's tree team, said: "I love being part of something that helps the community and helps nature.
"I feel like I'm doing something that will last long into the future.
"I'll be able to come back in 20 years and see the trees I've planted all over the city."
'So many benefits'
Tom Briars-Delve, cabinet member for environment and climate change at Plymouth City Council, said: "This is about greening the grey and bringing trees to neighbourhoods.
"In Whitleigh, we are adding 50 additional trees to the area."
"We know that trees have so many benefits, they're good for people's wellbeing and there are great benefits for nature."
The authority is the lead partner in the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest, working alongside National Trust, Woodland Trust, Dartmoor National Park Authority, Devon County Council and South Hams and West Devon District and Borough Councils.
Forest for Cornwall
Forest for Cornwall was created in 2019 after Cornwall Council declared a climate emergency.
The planting project is part of the authority's plan to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Cornwall Council said the project was helping to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies by planting the right trees in the right place for the right purpose.
Now in its sixth year of delivery, about 1.7 million trees have been planted.
That figure would rise to almost two million by the end of this year's planting season in April, the council added.
