Head Teacher, Richard Walthall and pupils at Stansfield Hall Primary School in Littleborough helped to plant 200 trees.
Rochdale Borough Council have announced a new tree planting programme which will see the borough become cleaner and greener with the planting of nearly 3,000 trees.
Planting will begin to see 2,930 trees planted across Rochdale in Greater Manchester, with plans to deliver a Pennine Edge Forest as part of the council’s ongoing commitment to help Greater Manchester achieve its net-zero carbon targets by 2038.
The planting will be delivered through England’s woodland creation programme – ‘Trees for Climate’, working in partnership with City of Trees, Greater Manchester’s tree planting movement.
Greater Manchester has today (Friday 25 March) declared a “biodiversity emergency” with Leaders, which will set out a series of projects and initiatives across the city region to seek to recover and restore biodiversity and reverse habitat loss. Rochdale is taking action now.
A number of sites have been selected to benefit, with suitable locations sourced by the council’s environmental management team and rangers, working alongside local schools and volunteer groups to help undertake this huge task, to leave a lasting legacy for many years to come.
Planting will take place at the following locations:
• 210 trees at Millers Brook, Heywood with St Luke’s Primary School
• 200 trees at Barnes Meadow, Littleborough with Stansfield Hall Primary School
• 1300 trees at Hopwood Woods, Middleton with Hopwood Hall College
• 350 trees at Syke hedge, Rochdale with The Skill Mill
• 370 trees at Wrigley Brook, Heywood with green volunteers and countryside rangers
• 500 trees at Wince Brook, Middleton with Alkrington Primary School
Woodlands and biodiversity play an important role in air quality. Increasing the scale and quality of local habitats, including appropriate tree planting and improved woodland management will bring a range of benefits, including natural flood management, carbon storage, and increased biodiversity to be enjoyed by everyone.
Pete Stringer from City of Trees, added: “We’re delighted to be supporting Rochdale with the multiple tree plantings this month, every tree planted will contribute to a greener Greater Manchester.
“Getting local primary schools involved is also an important way to educate children about the importance of trees from a young age, of which they will reap the benefits of as the trees grow over their lifetime.”
The council is also developing a longer-term programme of tree planting and natural capital projects which will extend into future years on its own land as well as working with private landowners.
This will involve working in partnership with City of Trees, Woodland Trust and the Forestry Commission amongst others.
Read more on the Rochdale Borough Council’s climate change pledge here.
