19th April 2023

Bradford on Avon Town Council plants 3,500 trees thanks to Forestry Commission grant

In March we planted 3,500 trees across the town thanks to a £96,000 grant from the Forestry Commission secured through Wiltshire Council.

One of the first trees we planted was a Kalyna (Guelder Rose) in Westbury Garden to mark the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.

In February and March, our Town Wardens were hard at work planting thousands of trees across the town.

We also organised two community tree planting events in Poulton Park called Plant Poulton Park.

These community events allowed residents to play their part in the future of their local green space.

At the first event over 70 people attended and planted 1,200 smaller trees (whips) to form a mini forest.

The trees were planted following the Miyawaki method.

Miyawaki forests are miniature forests often planted by community groups where dense planting aims to allow trees will grow more quickly, improve biodiversity, and absorb more CO2.

The trees planted included Alder, Silver Birch, Hornbeam, Hazel, Holly, Dogwood, Beech, Hawthorn, Crab Apple, English Oak, Sessile Oak, Bird Cherry and Wild Cherry.

To commemorate the 70 years’ service of Queen Elizabeth II we planted a memorial Rockhampton Red Hornbeam.

The ceremony was attended by Councillors, members of the Preservation Trust,
volunteers as well as Deputy Lieutenant, Air Vice Marshal David Couzens.

Our tree planting plans were officially completed on Thursday 30 March 2023 by which time we had planted 3,500 trees in Bradford on Avon.