Last chance to apply for half-price tree bundles
People in Shropshire need to act now if they want to take advantage of a half-price tree offer funded by Shropshire Council and HM Treasury this planting season.
The subsidised tree scheme has been hugely popular with county residents with more than 15,000 trees sold, but it will close this Friday (10 February 2023) to allow people time to collect and plant their tree bundles before the end of the season.
Trees scheme advert
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 is 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 cost just £18 each.
Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport, said:-
“The subsidised tress initiative has proved enormously popular with people and we taken orders for 15, 540 trees which means we have distributed hundreds of bundles of native trees across the county.
“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 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 are available in bundles of 20 trees and cost £18 per bundle (half-price), including a bamboo cane and spiral tree guard. All trees are 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
Applications close on Friday 10 February 2023.
Anyone planting a tree between now and the end of March is encouraged to register it as part of The Queen’s Green Canopy.
