Government Pledges to Plant Half a Million Trees

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle is set to announce a commitment to plant half a million trees across England over the next three years. This initiative aims to bolster protection against extreme weather events and will be unveiled during her speech at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Wednesday morning.

Funding for Natural Landscape Restoration

The government will allocate a £79 million package, which includes £53 million specifically for tree planting and £26 million for local nature recovery strategies. This funding will empower mayors, local authorities, charities, and grassroots groups to restore natural landscapes, such as wetlands, river edges, and meadows, which are essential for natural flood management and mitigating drought damage.

Urgent Need for Action

Eagle emphasizes the urgent need for increased tree planting and natural landscape protection, particularly highlighted by this summer's drought. She will state:

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"In areas where nature has been allowed to flourish, the ground held more water, and the droughts were less severe. On streets where trees have been planted, the shade meant temperatures were lower. And when rain finally came, those same trees reduced the risk of floods. We all deserve access to the benefits that nature can bring."

Benefits of Trees

Trees play a vital role in urban environments, offering numerous benefits:

  • Reduce air temperatures by up to 4°C, making heatwaves more bearable.
  • A single mature tree can intercept 15,000 litres of water annually, helping to reduce flood risks.
  • Trees can halve noise pollution and absorb harmful air pollutants.
  • They provide essential habitats for wildlife in urban areas.