Challenge Fund will see 700 trees planted to form woodland glade on open space in Quarrington

Led by North Kesteven District Council, the successful project at Quarrington Hill will see 700 trees distributed to create wooded areas.

The trees will be situated in such a way that it will allow areas for a woodland glade to establish to encourage wildflowers onto the site, and in turn increase biodiversity for the area.

A spokesman for NKDC said after winning the funding bid, they are moving forward with the project with their Countryside NK partner, Hill Holt Wood

The trees will be planted on an ideal piece of sloping open land close to St Botolph’s School and the water tower, on Sheldrake Road.

The council has a broader aim to increase tree cover on land it owns by 10 per cent in the short term and 25 per cent by 2035 as part of its Climate Emergency Action Plan.

The planting is scheduled to take place fairly soon. They had hoped for a community planting programme, but that may not be possible under current pandemic restrictions.

It is one of more than 50 projects led by community and volunteer groups, councils and individuals to have been awarded a share of a £10 million pot to increase tree numbers in urban areas through small-scale planting projects.

The new trees will provide benefits to health and wellbeing, connect people with the outdoors, improve biodiversity, as well as play a crucial role in the fight against climate change.

Successful applicants are match-funding the money they receive. The money will fund the planting of trees and the first three years of their care to ensure they can flourish into the future.

The Government is committed to plant 30,000 hectares of trees a year across the UK by 2025, alongside peatland restoration and nature recovery.