Tree planting strategy for North Northamptonshire set to be discussed at Executive
Environment06 September 2024
A new strategy that covers all tree planting activity undertaken directly by North Northamptonshire Council is on next week’s Executive agenda.
Since April 2021, approximately 20,000 trees have been planted across the council’s estate and a formal strategy is now required to ensure there is a consistent, sustainable and viable solution to increase canopy cover.
Canopy coverage across North Northamptonshire currently stands at 10.55%, the Government’s Committee on Climate Change wishes to increase the UK’s tree cover to 17% by 2050.
The Tree Planting Strategy aims to ensure North Northamptonshire Council's treescape is enhanced and becomes more sustainable and resilient to pests and diseases, including factors like Ash Dieback, within a changing climate.
The strategy covers various areas including:
- Standard tree planting
- Woodland and whips style planting
- Natural regeneration of strategic sites across North Northamptonshire Council's assets and land in private ownership
It also provides advice and guidance to support tree planting undertaken by private landowners outside of the North Northamptonshire Council estate.
Trees provide a variety of benefits to North Northaamptonshire on both an urban and rural level and so it is important that we look at how we can increase tree cover in the area, whilst meeting the Government’s targets.Cllr Harriet Pentland, the council’s Executive Member for Climate and Green Environment
Since North Northamptonshire Council came into existence approximately 20,000 trees have been planted and the overall aim of the strategy is build and grow from this work, ensuring our treescape is not only enhanced but remains sustainable and resilient to pests and diseases within a changing climate.
If this report is approved, it will allow vital work to further develop on enhancing our treescape across North Northamptonshire using available resources to increase canopy cover on public land, alongside working with partners, landowners, business and new developments to increase cover on private land.Jason Smithers, Leader of Northnorthamptonshire Council
This strategy is also backed up by our work on the Local Plan and Local Nature Recovery Strategy, as well as smaller projects across the council which feed into our Carbon Management Plan.
The Executive will meet on Thursday 12 September at 10:00am at the Corby Cube and the papers are now available online. The meeting will be live streamed on YouTube.