Recycle your Unwanted Trees

Shrewsbury Town Council is asking residents to donate their unwanted trees that would otherwise be disposed of as part of its involvement in the Trees Outside Woodland Project.

The project is aimed at developing innovative and sustainable ways to increase tree cover to address both the climate and ecological emergencies.

Mike Pugh, contracts and arb manager for the Town Council, said: “The aim of the project is to test different approaches to encouraging people to consider planting trees in areas that are not true woodland. This includes hedgerow trees, urban trees, single or small clusters of trees within fields and orchards, open spaces and trees within a garden setting.

“To help us increase our tree stock, we are looking for people to donate their unwanted trees and self-setters, where we will grow them on for planting elsewhere in the county.

“The donated trees will be tagged and then monitored for pests and diseases by our staff and logged to a database to enable people to discover where their donated trees have been planted in the county.”

The scheme is a three-year project as part of a wider national plan and the benefits of the programme will see trees planted locally, helping to reduce the ‘road miles’ and provide bio-security for the local area, as well as reducing both the Town Council and Shropshire Council’s carbon footprint.

Following receipt of a grant from Shropshire Council as part of their award from the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), Mike Pugh added: “We now have the infrastructure in place at our Weeping Cross Centre with funding from the Unitary Authority and I would encourage people to get in touch and donate their unwanted trees which might otherwise be composted or thrown away.

“Local tree groups are welcome to plant new trees and help maintain the tree stock at our nursery, although we would ask that people get in touch to make an appointment to visit us.”

The Town Council also has the capacity to help local tree planting groups as they now have the infrastructure funds to assist with supplying pots, compost, stakes and canes.

Contact the Town Council: enquiries@shrewsburytowncouncil.gov.uk

ENDS/

Published: 19 July 2022