Scheme that promotes trees and tree planting in and around Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth celebrates 12th anniversary

The aim behind the scheme is to promote public awareness of trees so that the team can help maintain existing trees and plant new ones in the Warwick district
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The Warwick Tree Wardens are celebrating their 12th anniversary this year.

The aim behind the scheme is to promote public awareness of trees so that the team can help maintain existing trees and plant new ones in the Warwick district.

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As well as it being the 12th year for the scheme it is also 10 years since the wardens started working with Warwickshire County Council's forestry team and six years since Cllr Alan Cockburn decided to sponsor tree planting across the whole of Kenilworth.

Left to right: Tree Wardens: Stuart Powney, Margot Rowdon and Helen Wilson, with Cllr Alan Cockburn, and WCC Forestry staff: Jon West, Aden Prockter and Jake Facer. Photo suppliedLeft to right: Tree Wardens: Stuart Powney, Margot Rowdon and Helen Wilson, with Cllr Alan Cockburn, and WCC Forestry staff: Jon West, Aden Prockter and Jake Facer. Photo supplied
Left to right: Tree Wardens: Stuart Powney, Margot Rowdon and Helen Wilson, with Cllr Alan Cockburn, and WCC Forestry staff: Jon West, Aden Prockter and Jake Facer. Photo supplied

Cllr Cockburn is retiring in May but during his six years in office, he’s facilitated more than 200 new street trees being planted.

Asked what made him start the Tree planting project, Cllr Cockburn said "Trees really do combat pollution, improve the quality of the air we breathe and make the street scene more attractive”.

He was also keen to encourage his successor to follow suit.

This year’s planting involved 50 new locations, with planting being done by a team of forestry staff and Tree Wardens – all working in cold and wet conditions.

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Sarah Ridgeway, Chair of the Warwick Tree Wardens praised the hard work the Tree Wardens and forestry do.

She said: “We’ve been very lucky to have so much support from Cllr Cockburn and the forestry team.

"They’ve enabled us to make a small dent in what will need to be a much bigger investment in trees in the future.

"Obviously planting trees is our main aim, but there are also opportunities for people to work with schools, to promote the benefits of trees and to work with like-minded businesses and other community groups who want to help redress the balance of all the trees being felled for housing developments, HS2 and so on.

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"But Warwick District Council have committed to plant a tree for every resident in Warwick District (about 160,000) and Warwickshire County Council have committed to plant a tree for every resident in Warwickshire (at least 568,000)."

To learn more about joining the Tree Wardens email [email protected]