The Mayor of Solihull has presented Solihull Council’s Planting Our Future team with a special commemorative flag to celebrate Solihull being awarded Tree City of the World status for a third consecutive year.
Solihull was first recognised as a Tree City of the World in 2022 and is one of only twenty-six places in the UK to hold the international award. The Tree Cities of the World programme recognises towns and cities all over the world that demonstrate their commitment to the maintenance and sustainable management of their urban forests.
Planting trees and increasing woodland cover have huge environmental benefits, helping to combat the effects of climate change and increase wildlife biodiversity. Solihull Council set up the Planting our Future campaign in 2020 as part of its commitment to plant 250,000 trees by 2030. So far, 100,000 trees have been planted in the local community as part of the award-winning programme.
The Mayor of Solihull, Cllr Shahin Ashraf MBE, said:
"As the first citizen of Solihull, I am proud to represent one of only twenty-six certified Tree Cities in the UK. This is a fantastic achievement that reflects the incredible efforts of everyone involved in the Planting Our Future programme. Trees play a crucial role in both urban and rural environments, contributing to ecological balance, enhancing air quality, and providing numerous social and economic benefits.
"I’d like to say thank you to the Council’s forestry team, the arboriculture team at Veolia and the many local volunteers who have made this award possible. Your continued commitment, dedication and perseverance has put Solihull on the map as part of a global network of towns and cities who are dedicated to planting, protecting and promoting the value of trees.”
For more information about Planting Our Future, visit the Love Solihull website: https://www.lovesolihull.org/plantingourfuture or email the Planting Our Future team at plantingourfuture@solihull.gov.uk.