Free trees for farmers giveaway

On Wednesday 17 January, Cllr Susan Juned, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council joined together with the Heart of England Forest for the 'Free trees for farmers' scheme, distributing tree packs.

The saplings were available through the Warwickshire Rural Hub (a partnership funded by Stratford District Council, Warwick District Council and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council) to any farm located within the boundary of the three local authority areas.

The scheme offered trees to landowners and farmers in a bid to encourage more tree planting to help renew and restore existing woodland and vegetation, as well as replacing trees which have been affected by diseases.

Cllr Susan Juned, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council said: "As part of our commitment to respond to the climate crisis, trees have an important role to play in keeping our air clean, helping to prevent flooding and providing valuable habitats for local wildlife."

Various tree packs were available, which allowed farmers to find the perfect species mix for their land, including hedgerow packs, fruit tree packs, and woodland packs. Farmers were able to apply for anything from a single tree pack up to hundreds of trees.

Around 8,000 trees were distributed from Tubbs End Farm, Butlers Marston to 38 farmers from across the District.

The Free Trees for Farmers scheme is also being supported by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, as well as the Trees Call to Action Project.

The Trees Call to Action Project can also offer practical support for farmers looking to plant on a larger scale where they may need to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments, for example if they want to plant on a woodland scale using the Government's English Woodland Creation Offer grant.