Council aims to plant 750,000 new trees over next 10 years

The authority has signed off on a new strategy which it says will make the county “a greener and better place to live”.

Just four per cent of Lincolnshire is currently woodland, compared to 13 per cent nationally.

Many of the county’s historic woodlands were cut down to make way for farmland, while coastal and fen areas are often unsuitable for trees.

The Conservative-run council is hoping to reverse the decline, and protect existing woodland.

It says that more trees and hedgerows will also improve air quality, mitigate climate change and guard against flooding.

Chris Miller, the council’s head of environment, told the Executive meeting on Tuesday (November 5) that it had been “initially slow progress” but was quickly picking up speed now.

He said LincWoods – the council’s tree planting programme – was on track to plant 200,000 trees by 2026, the equivalent to 60 football fields.

The council’s Executive gave the strategy its enthusiastic support.

Councillor Richard Davies (Con) said: “Trees on streets make such a difference from a public health perspective – they make people feel better and improve air quality.”

Councillor Ian Carrington (Con) described the work as “very important”, and said the council was having productive conversations with 49 different partners.

The strategy involves offering subsidies and support to landowners, farmers, parish councils and voluntary groups across the county who wish to plant trees and hedgerows.

The council also has funding for 30 new community orchards to mark the coronation of King Charles III.

The council’s report says: “It is vital that we plant more trees in and around Lincolnshire, but crucial that we choose the right trees, for the right places, and for the right reasons.”

It acknowledges that many farmers regard tree planting as “financially risky” compared to other crops, and won’t want to move away from food production.

There are currently 22,500 hectares of woodland in the county, with large parts of the ancient forests cut down in the Victoria era for agriculture.

Half of the hedgerows have disappeared since 1950, and the council says they still face “neglect, damage and removal remain significant threats”.