National Tree Planting Week will see Harrogate council plant more than 800 trees

National Tree Planting Week - Harrogate Borough Mayor Councillor Victoria Oldham and Coun Sam Gibbs with members of the parks team at Harrogate Borough Council.

Harrogate Borough Council is set to plant hundreds of trees as part of National Tree Planting Week.

Each year, the country’s conservation sector, volunteer groups and tree-lovers come together to plant thousands of trees to mark the start of the annual National Tree Week, the UK’s largest annual tree celebration.

This year, National Tree Week will take place from November 26 to 5 December 5 and the borough council is set to plant more than 800 across the Harrogate district.

The council will be planting native trees – including oak, lime and sycamore, for example – at Hay a Park in Knaresborough, Paddies Park and Gallows Hill in Ripon, and on the Stray in Harrogate.

Coun Sam Gibbs, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said: "I’m delighted that we’re support the annual National Tree Planting Week by planting more than 800 trees across the Harrogate district."

"Planting more trees is a priority for us and this project supports a number of schemes – the White Rose Forest, for example – that will help address the climate situation and deliver carbon reduction initiatives throughout the Harrogate district.

"We couldn’t do it without the help of volunteers so I’d like to thank everyone who has either provided a sapling or will be planting a tree."

The planting of these trees will either complement existing established trees and woodland areas or create new copses. A new avenue of apple and maple trees will also be planted on the Stray to provide seasonal colour.

Around 500 of the trees that will be planted have been nurtured at the council’s nursery following a request for saplings from residents last year.

National Tree Planting Week is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration.

Led by The Tree Council, each year the country’s conservation sector, volunteer groups and tree-lovers come together to plant thousands of trees to mark the start of the tree planting season.

If you would like to donate to mission to bring young people closer to nature by raising £20,000 for The Tree Council’s Orchards for Schools programme visit www.treecouncil.org.uk