Trees a-plenty! Council pledges to plant hundreds of saplings across borough over next two years

The council says it is keen to see more trees planted across the borough

MORE  trees are to be planted in North East Lincolnshire between now and April - then again in autumn next year.

Our area is reckoned to be one of the most tree-depleted in the country with canopy cover of just 10.5 per cent.

The national average is 15.8 percent.

Some wards in the borough  have as little as just two per cent.

Now - after receiving funding - the authority has at last pledged action, with a  focus on five particularly barren  wards:

* East Marsh

* West Marsh 

* Sidney Sussex

* Immingham

* Croft Baker 

Enthuses a NELC  spokesperson: "It is National Tree Week -and what better time to celebrate a successful funding bid than the planting of hundreds of trees across the community!"

The initiative has been welcomed by the council's portfolio holder for environment Cllr Stewart Swinburn, who insists: "Trees are hugely important.

"They reduce flooding by taking in water, create habitats for nature, make us feel better, clean our air by absorbing toxins and reduce carbon dioxide.

 

"Planting trees can only be a good thing for North East Lincolnshire."

The authority's regeneration partner, Equans will be playing its part on Wednesday by planting  500 whips - small, bare rooted, unbranched trees - on land off  Cromwell Road, Grimsby.

* Ironically, also on Wednesday, councillors on NELC's planning committee will be asked to approve the felling of hundreds of trees on land off Hewitts Avenue, near the Cleethorpes Tesco superstore, to make way for a 44-lodge holiday park.