Tag: climate

In response to the climate and biodiversity crises, Westmorland and Furness Council want to help our communities to plant one tree, or one metre of hedgerow equivalent, for every resident. This means planting a quarter of a million trees over a five-year period.

Trees have various benefits for climate, biodiversity and communities, such as:

• absorbing and storing carbon
• providing shade and shelter
• increasing biodiversity and enhancing landscapes
• capturing air pollution and improving air quality
• improving water quality
• reducing soil erosion
• reducing flooding risk

How to get involved

There are many different ways in which you can help reach our aim of planting 250,000 trees. If would like more details or want to tell us how many trees or hedgerows you have planted so we can count them, please contact us.

Free Trees for Residents: We are giving away free tree saplings as part of the ‘One Tree Per Resident Project’.

Who Can Apply: You can apply on behalf of:

• you – as a resident
• schools
• town and parish councils
• landowners
• community groups

Trees and Hedge Packs: You can apply for multiple saplings. Larger planting schemes will be assessed for feasibility. Tree species and numbers are subject to availability.

Tree species: There are 10 species of tree in the scheme.

• Crab Apple – Small gardens, pot-friendly, moist, heavier soil, pollinators and birds.
• Field Maple – Medium to large gardens, moderately moist, wildlife and autumn colour.
• Guelder Rose – Small gardens, pot friendly, moist, fertile soil, berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
• Hawthorn – Small to large gardens, moist to dry soil, wildlife.
• Hazel – Small gardens, pot-friendly, moist soil, not waterlogged, wildlife and nuts.
• Juniper – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Dry, well-drained soil. Wildlife, berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
• Rowan – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Light, moist soil. Berries for birds (otherwise toxic)
• Silver Birch – Medium to large gardens. Moist, well-drained soil. Wildlife, light canopy.
• Whitebeam – Medium to large gardens. Dry to moist soil. Birds.
• Yew – Small gardens, pot-friendly. Dry to moist soil. Evergreen, berries (all parts of the tree are toxic)

Pick the trees suitable for your planting area. Some are suitable for pots if managed. Read advice on how to pick the right trees to plant, and how to plant them on the Woodland Trust website

How to Apply: Before you apply, you’ll need to know: Your chosen tree species and the What3Words location of your planting site.

Applications will be open until 30 November 2025, but may clsoe early subject to demand. Please note hedge packs are not currently available due to high demand.

Apply online by clicking here.

If you need an accessible version, please contact us by email, or visit one of our offices or libraries.

Contact us: We’re keen to hear from you if you:

• are interested in linking as a partner
• would like to get involved, or have any suggestions about how to get involved
• want to record your tree planting under the ‘One Tree per Resident Project’.
• have any questions about the scheme

Please get in touch by email: futuretrees@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

Partners: Our current partners include:

• Forestry Commission
• Lake District National Park
• RAISE Community Forest
• Ullswater Catchment Management CIC
• Woodland Trust
• Yorkshire Dales National Park

Progress: To date, we have planted 41,544 trees which is 17% of the total needed to achieve the goal of ‘One Tree per Resident’. This planting has been delivered by council teams, supported by the Community Orchard and Micro Woodland initiatives funded through the Coronation Living Heritage Fund.

Our key partner, Raise: Cumbria Community Forest, has also played a vital role in delivering additional planting schemes..