Positive climate action takes root as thousands take part in tree giveaway

Notes to editors

A video of the giveaway event is available to watch. The original file can be provided upon request.

The Your Tree Our Future scheme is in its first year, with over 46,000 trees delivered in a partnership of the county council and all ten district and borough councils. The scheme has also been supported by the charity Growing People and by the team at Herts Full Stop. The scheme will repeat each year for the next three years, with a minimum of 30,000 further trees available each year.

This scheme is being delivered in partnership with the county’s district and borough councils. Quotes from each of the district and borough council representatives have been provided, if you wish to include them then please select the quotes from the appropriate councillor(s) for your readership:

 

Councillor Graham McAndrew, Executive Member for Environmental Sustainability at East Herts Council, said:

“It was great to see so many people here on Saturday collecting their trees. I know many went home and planted them straight away.

“In East Herts alone, it is estimated that the trees will capture 15,399 tonnes of carbon in their lifetime, helping us all breathe cleaner air and providing habitats for the wildlife we love.”

Councillor Steve Jarvis, North Herts Executive Member for Environment and Leisure, said: “We’re pleased that so many residents took up the offer of planting more trees to help fight climate change. All together they will soak up and store thousands of tonnes of carbon from our atmosphere during their life. There are also so many other benefits, including cleaning our air and improving our mental health, it’s great to see everyone working together for a brighter, greener future."

Councillor Chris White, Leader of St Albans City and District Council, said:

“I was delighted with the response of our residents to this excellent scheme.

“More than 750 people from the District successfully applied for trees and, given the demand, we decided to fund a further 3,000 trees to double the number that were available to just over 6,000.

“Our staff distributed most of those trees at the weekend from car parks at Westminster Lodge in St Albans and Amenbury Lane in Harpenden so people can start planting them now.

“The enthusiasm for Your Tree Our Future shows that we have overwhelming support from our residents for our priority goal of tackling the climate emergency. Trees are an important way of doing this as they help provide cleaner air and generally improve the environment.

“I am sure our District will respond with the same interest to the next giveaway in the autumn of next year.”

Cllr Phil Williams, Three Rivers District Council’s Lead Member for Environmental Services, Climate Change and Sustainability, said:

 “Trees are a beautiful part of our natural landscapes – but they are far more important than that alone. Trees are a vital element of life on Earth, ensuring the health and prosperity of our world. Not only do trees take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, they provide habitant for countless varieties of wildlife, keep pollutants out of rivers and act as natural coolants, which reduces the need for air conditioning as global temperatures rise. So, there could be nothing more important than planting more trees at a time when we need them more than ever.”

Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said:

 "I’m delighted that working with Hertfordshire County Council we were able to give away 4,000 trees, and that residents were able to get more involved with making Watford a greener place to live.

"These new trees won’t just be in our award-winning parks, woodlands and open spaces but also on local streets, making sure that neighbourhoods across Watford will benefit."

"When I was elected, I set a goal of planting 20,000 trees over the next four years. This tree giveaway was a massive step towards that goal, as well as our goal to be carbon net zero by 2030.”

Councillor Samuel Kasumu, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council said:

“We recognise that trees are an essential part of life, and this kind donation provides a fantastic opportunity for our residents to help in the fight against climate change. These trees will improve and enhance the environment, play a vital role in taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, cleaning the air and encourage more people to be active outdoors.

“It was fantastic to see our residents playing such an active part and showing real enthusiasm at the thought of caring for these trees - as it is they who will reap the benefits of them for decades to come.”

The county council’s Sustainable Hertfordshire Strategy sets out how it plans to become a more sustainable organisation while also helping to tackle the climate crisis in Hertfordshire. The key ambitions of the strategy that are supported by this project are: net zero greenhouse gas county by 2050, enhance nature across Hertfordshire’s land and water by 20% by 2050, cleaner air for all by 2030 and communities ready for future climates. Find out more about the council’s sustainability work at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/sustainability