Council kicks off 2,600-tree planting project

On 7 January, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council began planting 2,600 trees at sites in Ewell Court Park, the Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve, London Road Recreation Ground, Long Grove Park, Manor Park and Poole Road Recreation Ground. This is part of the council’s Climate Change Action Plan and the first stage of its Tree Management Plan which aims to plant 6,000 new trees across the borough by 2035.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has committed to tackling climate change in the borough, embarking on an ambitious programme of work with partners to support its operational net zero target by 2035. Within its Climate Change Action Plan in 2020 was an action to increase tree cover in the borough to enhance the borough’s biodiversity and increase carbon capture. This activity will also help mitigate ash dieback, a serious disease that has the potential to devastate an estimated 90% of the borough’s ash tree population over the next decade.

This tree planting activity is funded through the Forestry Commission’s Local Authority Treescapes Fund, awarded as part of a joint bid with Surrey County Council and three other district and borough councils within the county.

The council’s Arboriculturist has coordinated the planting of the trees and Penfolds Woodland Management has been contracted by Surrey County Council to plant the trees.

Over 20 different tree species have been carefully selected to suit the local habitat; they will help enrich surrounding nature and can even adapt to changing weather conditions associated with climate change. These include several planned stands of native woodland tree and shrub species that aid biodiversity as the trees themselves start to blossom. In Sweet Chestnut Avenue the trees planted will create a real heritage feature that will endure through the ages.

Councillor Liz Frost, Chair of the Environment Committee said: “This is another great step to help us meet our ambitious carbon neutral target. These new trees will make our green spaces more beautiful and appealing for our community. Importantly, they will also provide habitats for our wildlife to flourish and help combat climate change by capturing carbon as the trees grow.

This is a great effort by everybody involved and I would like to thank Surrey County Council for coordinating this bid that led to this invaluable funding being awarded and for commissioning the suppliers – thanks to Penfolds Woodland Management for planting the trees. One final thanks to our very own Arboriculturist for coordinating this vast tree planting activity.

We hope these trees will provide a platform for everybody to learn about the complexities of trees and their importance to biodiversity and climate change. I’d encourage all our residents and visitors, including our school children, to visit our parks and open spaces to look at and learn about our beautiful trees.”

Marisa Heath, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for the Environment said: “The County Council’s ambition to plant 1.2 million new trees is not something we can deliver alone. Our collaboration with local borough and district councils, parish councils, schools, landowners and community groups is vital to achieve this ambition. Planting more trees helps tackle the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss and by working together we will have a greater impact.”

For more information about trees in Epsom & Ewell – Trees in Epsom & Ewell | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council