Trees, hedges and shrubs play a significant role in combatting climate change and increasing biodiversity.
Woods and forests absorb atmospheric carbon and lock it up for centuries. The entire woodland ecosystem plays a huge role in locking up carbon, including the living wood, roots, leaves, deadwood, surrounding soils and its associated vegetation.
A young mixed woodland can absorb over 300 tonnes of carbon per hectare in the first 50 years. Trees also create a complex and biodiverse ecosystem and help to maintain local temperatures and prevent flooding.
If you’re concerned about your own environmental and carbon footprint, why not plant a tree or a hedge in your garden? Here is a handy Step-by-Step Guide to Tree-Planting from the Tree Council.
Trees for Congleton
Trees for Congleton is a group of volunteers under the umbrella of Congleton Sustainability Group that aims to plant 30,000 trees in the Congleton area by the end of 2025. Some of these trees will be on land owned by Cheshire East (CEC), but they hope that private landlords and individuals will get involved too.
The Tree group is not part of Congleton Town Council but the Council supports it with practical help and communications.
The group keeps a record of all trees planted by its volunteers and others. If anyone plants a tree to support this initiative, please email treesforcongleton@gmail.com and let them know. An initial nine Congleton sites were identified for potential planting in 2022-23, using funding from the Tree Council. These are at Back Lane, Hertford Close, Lambert’s Lane Water Tower, Pirie Road, Quayside / St Peters Rd, Quinta Park, Havannah Lane – St Johns Rd, Solly Crescent and Thirlmere Court. You can view all the sites planted since 2019 on the Trees for Congleton website. Many of these green spaces have also been selected by the Town Council for biodiversity enhancement.
Would you like to be a friend of a green space?
We would love local residents to become ‘friends’ of the trees and plants planted. A ‘friend’ would keep an eye on the green space and report any changes, damage or problems to Congleton Town Council.
You are welcome to go along and help to plant trees at various locations across the town. It is good exercise and fun! Times and dates are subject to change dependent on the weather. Please check the Trees for Congleton Facebook page before you travel. Anyone can turn up to help, with tools if you have them, good boots and appropriate clothing.
For more information, including progress towards the 30,000 target and when and where to volunteer, you can visit the Trees for Congleton Website or find Trees for Congleton on Facebook.
Press Releases
Orchards
Congleton has 38 orchards (including schools) and fruit trees can be found at all the schools. We are fortunate to have so many orchards. Blossom is good for wildlife, good for mental wellbeing, and essential for fruit production.
Take a walk through one of the town’s many Orchards and enjoy the beauty of fruit trees and blossom.
Congleton Town Council
Congleton Town Council’s Planning Committee reviews all works to trees that require planning permission. If there is no good reason for removing a tree, the Council will object. If a tree must be removed e.g. due to disease or danger, the Council will request that a replacement tree of similar or better amenity is planted to replace it.
Tree Preservation Orders (TPO)
A TPO is a legally enforceable order made by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to protect trees, groups of trees and woodland which make a contribution to the amenity in its area.
The decision to make a TPO are made under powers contained in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Town and Country (Tree Preservation) (England) Regulations 2012.
The principal effect of a TPO is to make it an offence to cut down, uproot, top, lop, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy a protected tree without the consent of the LPA.
Cheshire East Council (CEC) is responsible for all aspects pertaining to TPO’s. See TPO pages on CEC website to find out:
- How to apply for consent to work on a protected tree
- If a tree is protected by a TPO
- If a tree is protected within a Conservation Area
- Report a suspected breach of a TPO
Copies of TPO’s can be obtained from Cheshire East at a cost of £65.00 (includes VAT) You will need to know details of the exact location/address of the tree or trees, and the title of the TPO if you know it.
To order a copy, you can:
- call on 0300 123 5014 and pay by card
- e-mail planning@cheshireeast.gov.uk with ‘Request for a copy of a TPO ’ in the subject line’ and include your phone number so they can contact you for payment
For further information:
Email: trees@cheshireeast.gov.uk or Phone: 0300 123 5014.
Last updated: 22nd April 2024
Featured image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay
