Residents in Suffolk Coastal are using their green-fingered
skills to take part in a Guinness World Record attempt during the
special Tree O’Clock event designed to help the environment and
increase the number of trees in the UK.
The national event is aiming to plant the greatest number of
trees during one hour at locations all over the country in order to
help raise awareness about the importance of trees and their impact
on the environment.
“The Tree O’Clock event is a great way for people to get
actively involved with helping to create more green areas. Suffolk
Coastal’s planting group of local residents are planning to plant
20 trees at The Fitches in Knodishall during the record attempt on
Saturday, December 5 between 11am and 12pm,” said Cllr Mary Neale,
Cabinet Member for Countryside and Leisure.
“Taking place as part of the 35th National Tree Week this is a
great opportunity for people to take an interest in the
preservation of the trees and green spaces in our district.
“In the recently published Read Report it has been stated that
if the current amount of land covered by trees increased by 4 per
cent it would decrease the UK’s carbon emissions by 10 per cent.
This is a significant amount and I would encourage local residents
to consider what they could do to help maintain and improve the
trees in our district.
“Whether it is in a small back garden or a larger designated
woodland area planting a tree will make a difference. The fruit or
seeds from many of the trees that can be grown in Britain are often
needlessly imported, so growing your own could help save money on
food costs too,” added Cllr
Neale.
National Tree Week is also celebrated by Suffolk Coastal’s Parish
Tree Scheme, a scheme that for over 30 years has been giving local
communities the chance to improve the quality of green spaces in
their parishes and villages.
The Parish Tree Scheme has a long tradition of investing in
local communities and helping them to improve their rural
environment by planting trees or hedgerows adding to the parish
landscape or restoring parish land. It also offers support by
donating trees and advice on what type of tree or hedgerow will
suit the local conditions.
“This year the scheme has helped 13 different projects in the
district receiving over 180 trees and 3,270 hedging plants going to
groups such as Woodbridge Rugby Club, Saxmundham Primary School and
Westleton Recreation Ground and I am sure the scheme will continue
to help parishes and villages for many years to come,” added Cllr
Neale.
For more information about the Tree O’Clock event or any of the
help available from the Parish Tree Scheme residents can contact a
member of the Countryside and Open Space team on 01394 444619 or
email
peter.ross@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk
The website
www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/treeoclock
also has useful information about the record attempt and the aims
of the Tree O’Clock
event.