600 trees breathe new life into Dogwood

Over 600 trees were planted by volunteers on Saturday 29th January as part of Knutsford Town Council’s Nature Action Plan.

With support from The Tatton Group, the Town Council organised a planting day beginning at the entrance to Dogwood which leads from the Moor to Tatton Park. The new trees will bolster the existing mature trees and eventually replace those that are lost naturally. 

Adopted in March 2020, the Nature Action Plan sets out the council’s commitment to improve Knutsford’s biodiversity and natural habitats and supports the council’s efforts to tackle climate change. Planting trees across the town is a key aspect of the plan, which not only increase the biodiversity value of local areas but capture carbon from the atmosphere.

The whips (very young saplings), which were provided by the Woodland Trust and The Conservation Volunteers, were planted by a team which included volunteers, students from Knutsford Academy and town councillors. Within a few hours hundreds of trees had been planted which will eventually grow into larger specimens and will capture tonnes of carbon through their lives.

Bob Allen, The Planning and Facilities Officer at Knutsford Town Council, said: “It was excellent to see support from the community and everyone that came made huge efforts to endure the wind and the rain to make a positive difference to the town for years to come. Trees are an important source of oxygen for us all and we want to encourage tree planting wherever possible!”

The Town Council is now preparing its second phase of standard (1.5m-2m) tree planting on open spaces across the town.

To find out more about tree planting or the Nature Action Plan you can visit:

www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/natureactionplan

Pictured - Town Mayor Cllr Stewart Gardiner with volunteers ahead of the tree planting.