Ruddington should benefit from some of the thousands of trees which are set to be planted across Rushcliffe in the next three years. It’s part of a £50,000 project which Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) promises will “ensure sustainable environments in line with the Borough’s significant housing and employment growth.”
These days woodland covers only 5.75sq km (1.04%) of Rushcliffe, so all the trees we have are important. The reason for the low woodland cover in our area is partly due to the fertile soils and its high value for agriculture – with land having often been cleared thousands of years’ ago. Now RBC wishes to redress the balance slightly and reinstate some of our lost arboreal cover.
It says, from April 2018, further grants will be made available for groups and individuals to apply for planting trees in prominent points on gateways to the Borough’s town and villages and across their communities. The initiative will also promote the Council’s Biodiversity Management Grant to support tree planting of native trees in hedgerows or open spaces for nature conservation purposes.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment Cllr Debbie Mason said: “Tree protection and promotion is an issue often raised by Councillors and the wider public particularly as our communities are set to grow increasingly in the coming years. We want to support economic growth to ensure a sustainable, prosperous and thriving local economy whilst maintaining and enhancing our residents’ quality of life.”
RBC says its Community Support Scheme will alert councillors to possible funding from their allocation to tree planting in their wards, in line with the Rushcliffe Nature Conservation Strategy. It’s also asking if villagers may wish to set up and be part of a Tree Warden Scheme in Ruddington – to play an active role in conserving and enhancing their local trees and woods?
If this interests you, or you’d like to suggest where MORE trees should be planted in and around Ruddington, please visit http://www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/trees to find out more.
{Top photograph by Graham Wright – “Autumn Colours in our Country Park”}
