Solihull residents and organisations are invited to apply for free trees as part of a popular scheme to help boost and protect the borough’s rural landscape.
The Arden Free Tree Scheme is open to local individuals and groups – including a business or a school – wishing to create hedgerows or small woodlands on their own land within Solihull.
Run by Solihull Council in partnership with Birmingham Airport, the scheme aims to protect and enhance the rural character of Solihull and the wider Arden landscape by promoting the planting of traditional, native trees and shrubs, helping to create a strong sense of place and local distinctiveness while also reducing carbon in the atmosphere.
Applications open from Monday 3 June and must be submitted by Friday 5 July.
Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Planning, Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, said:
“The Arden Free Tree Scheme has helped to support more than 170 schemes and plant more than 45,000 native trees and shrubs in our borough since launching in 2009.
“This helps to improve air quality, support local wildlife by providing vital habitats to live, and safeguard and enhance our rural landscape for generations to come.
“It also plays a crucial role in tackling climate change by capturing carbon and returning oxygen to the atmosphere, while reducing the impact of flooding.
“This contributes significantly to our target of planting 250,000 trees by 2030 as part of our Net Zero Action Plan, where we have recently hit the 100,000 milestone.
“I encourage as many residents and local organisations as possible to get involved and take advantage of this exciting opportunity to receive and plant trees for free.”
Plants will be ready for collection by successful applicants in time for the planting season (November – March).
To find out more about the Arden Free Tree Scheme and to apply, visit www.solihull.gov.uk/your-future-solihull/arden-free-tree-scheme or email landscape@solihull.gov.uk.
Those who do not fulfil the criteria for the scheme may also apply for trees by contacting the Planting our Future team. For further details visit www.lovesolihull.org/plantingourfuture or email plantingourfuture@solihull.gov.uk.
For more information about the Council’s climate change and sustainability campaign, and to find out how to get involved, visit the Your Future Solihull webpages, or sign up to the Your Future Solihull newsletter.