Thousands of trees to be planted

The Big Tree Plant funding scheme aims to encourage and support community groups to plant trees in neighbourhoods where people live and work. Some £4 million is available nationally up to 2015 to plant at least a million new trees.

Ray Sidaway, chairman of Ipswich Wildlife Group, said: "We are delighted to be working with the Council on this exciting scheme and very happy that the grant bid has been successful. We are looking forward now to helping with the actual planting - members of the group will be out planting and helping other local people to get involved in public planting days."

Councillor Bryony Rudkin, the Borough's Culture portfolio-holder, said: "This tree planting is part of the Council's overall aim to increase the wildlife value of the town's parks and open spaces. The new woodland and scrub areas will complement the new areas of grass habitat that have been successfully introduced this summer."

The main public planting days are planned for either end of National Tree week: Saturday 24th November in Bourne Park and Saturday 1st December in Gippeswyk Park. Both sessions start at 10am (finishing around 2pm) and are open to all to attend. No experience is needed; volunteers need only to come along with appropriate clothing for the weather and sturdy footwear. All the necessary trees, tools and training will be provided along with tea, coffee and biscuits.

For more information about the planting days, please contact the Greenways Project on 01473 433995 or email: greenways.project@ipswich.gov.uk.

A range of tree and shrub species will be planted, but ash will be omitted as a precautionary measure due to the problems with ash dieback (chalara fraxinea).