Half-price trees offer, to enhance Shropshire countryside

People in Shropshire are to be offered trees at half price in a new initiative funded by Shropshire Council and HM Treasury this planting season.

This year residents, landowners, farmers, community groups, businesses and charities can apply for ‘bundles’ of 20 native trees and shrubs to plant as copses and small areas of woodland to maximise the benefits for landscape and wildlife around the county.

There will also be the option of planting small amounts of native hedgerow, either to ‘gap up’ existing hedgerows or to create short lengths of new ones where this improves habitat continuity or connectivity.

The bundles will cost just £18 each.

The half-price trees scheme

Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport, said:-

“The planted trees and hedges will also ‘lock up’ carbon and provide other environmental benefits as they grow and mature, contributing in their own small way towards our ambition of making Shropshire net zero carbon by 2030.

“Shropshire Council has committed to planting 345,000 trees by 2050, though we are hoping to bring the target forward.”

Under this year’s subsidised tree scheme, the trees are being provided in pre-arranged species mixes under options covering three broad types of planting situations commonly encountered around the county and a native hedgerow mix:

Woodland for general ‘lowland’ planting sites -English oak (20%), sessile oak (20%), small-leaved lime (20%), wild cherry (10%), hazel (10%), rowan (10%), hawthorn (5%) and crab apple (5%).

Woodland for ‘upland’/exposed sites – Sessile oak (50%), silver birch (15%), beech (10%), rowan (10%), hawthorn (10%) and crab apple (5%).

Woodland for damp/poorly drained sites – Common alder (35%), downy birch (20%), crack willow (10%), goat willow (10%), aspen (10%), osier (5%), hazel (5%) and guelder rose (5%).

Native hedgerow mix – Hawthorn (35%), field maple (20%), blackthorn (15%), hazel (15%), dog rose (5%), dogwood (5%) and guelder rose (5%).

The mixes above are available in bundles of 20 trees and will cost £18 per bundle (half-price), including a bamboo cane and spiral tree guard. All trees will be either bare root whips or cell grown and between 20cm – 80cm when ready for planting. For more information or to apply for subsidised tree scheme bundles click here or email nick.rowles@shropshire.gov.uk