Residents are being asked for their views on plans to plant more trees in four Cornish towns as part of the Forest for Cornwall.
The project would be split across two planting seasons starting this autumn and focus on specific sites with some of the lowest numbers of urban trees in Cornwall and the UK, in Newquay, Torpoint, Callington and Saltash.
Cornwall Council’s Forest for Cornwall team have drawn up the plans following the Forestry Commission’s ‘right tree, right place principle’ which means trees are selected to suit the locations where they are planted.
Residents in the four towns can view the latest plans and look at images of how their area would look once the trees are planted.
There is also a short online questionnaire to complete where people can give their views on the plans.
The Forest for Cornwall team is applying to the Forestry Commission’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund to support the plans.
Councillor Martyn Alvey, Cornwall’s portfolio holder for environment and climate change, said:
“Our Forest for Cornwall has now recorded more than 600,000 new trees planted since 2019, but Cornwall still has some of the lowest urban tree canopy cover in the country.
“Trees in our towns, streets and urban areas provide an instant connection with nature which is good for our mental health, they also help to reduce flash flooding and improve air quality. We may not see these benefits, but they are all there to help us deal with the impacts of climate change. This is an incredibly positive initiative for everyone in Cornwall.”
The Forest for Cornwall is aimed at increasing tree-planting across Cornwall with the support of residents, businesses, town and parish councils, farmers, schools and community organisations.
As well as helping to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies the programme is giving more communities access to the benefits of nature on their doorsteps.
In a recent study, the Forestry Commission used satellite imagery across the UK to measure the amounts of leaves and branches (tree canopy) covering the ground from above in urban areas.
To help tackle the impacts of climate change, the Forestry Commission recommends urban tree canopy cover needs to be at least 20% in non-coastal areas and 15% in coastal areas.
Jonathan Warren, Forest for Cornwall senior urban and community officer, said:
“While the proposed choice of tree species has been carefully thought out based on the right tree for the right place, we want to ensure local people are generally supportive and provide the opportunity to discuss any concerns or just share their support.”
The consultation is launched today (September 8, 2023) and runs until September 29 with results published next month.
You can view plans, complete the feedback survey and find out more information:
https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/trees-for-cornish-towns-consultation
Story posted September 8, 2023
