Council's tree planting project in Aylesbury, Buckingham and beyond passes significant milestone

Bucks Council is celebrating the significant progress made in its Bucks Tree Mission, with over 145,000 trees planted since October 2022.

In 2021 the local authority committed to planting over 543,000 new trees on council-owned land in Buckinghamshire within a decade – one for every resident.

It is part of the council’s wider climate change and air quality strategy.

In the most recent tree planting season between October 2022 to March 2023, both large scale tree planting projects and community planting initiatives have been completed.

-Grange Farm – 14,700 trees and shrubs planted at this site to create a new woodland in Hazlemere. Volunteers, including 60 school children, attended a planting day run by Chiltern Rangers.

-Bury Farm – 14,300 trees and shrubs planted at this site in Amersham, creating a new woodland.

-Platinum Way – 4,038 trees planted along this walking, wheeling and cycling route with volunteer planting co-ordinated by Chiltern Rangers.

A total of 2,700 trees were planted in St Peter's Greenway, spanning from Berryfields to Buckingham Park. Additionally, two 'tiny forests' were established; one at Princes Risborough School and the other at Bourton Park in Buckingham, both consisting of 600 trees each.

A lease has been signed with Forestry England to create a new woodland in Bucks near Wing, where 132,000 trees will be planted over the next 12 months. During a relatively wet April, Forestry England have already planted over 109,000 trees at the new Wing Woods.

Councillor Gareth Williams said: "This winter has seen a fantastic community effort across the entire county, and it's inspiring to witness such progress in planting a whole new generation of trees in Buckinghamshire.

"The creation of a new woodland near Wing, in partnership with Forestry England is a great success for the council and residents. We’re aiming to plant a total of 132,000 trees at Wing Woods over the next year, with over 109,000 already in the ground.”

"This is all part of our Bucks Tree Mission to plant over half a million trees in Buckinghamshire as part of our climate change commitment to reach net zero no later than 2050."

More information can be found on the council’s website here.