Watford Borough Council is excited to announce that 4,000 trees are still up for grabs as part of the ongoing 'Your Tree Our Future' initiative...
Get your free tree today
Run by Hertfordshire County Council, this program is delivered in partnership with all 10 of county’s district and borough councils. It enables residents of Watford and Hertfordshire to apply for up to five free trees, or four trees and one hedgerow pack (enough to plant 6m of hedgerow), specially selected for the region's geography and climate.
The aim of this initiative is to involve the community in improving air quality, establishing new trees, and contributing to the overall sustainability goals of the town and county. The available tree species have been carefully chosen to ensure their long-term sustainability and positive impact on the environment.
This tree giveaway is just one of the ways in which Watford Borough Council and Hertfordshire County Council are implementing their respective Tree and Woodland Strategy. The goal is to plant 20,000 trees in Watford over the next four years and 1.8 million new trees across Hertfordshire by 2030.
These efforts align with Watford Borough Council's objectives to create a greener, more sustainable environment and work towards the town's carbon-neutral target by 2030. Furthermore, they support Hertfordshire County Council's vision of enhancing nature by 20% before 2050 and improving air quality for all residents by 2030.
The addition of these trees will further enhance Watford's landscape, which already boasts 18% tree canopy cover, surpassing the national average. With existing street trees and public open spaces, including woodlands such as Whippendell Wood, Harebreaks Wood, Albans Wood, Oxhey Park, and Orchard Park, Watford is committed to preserving its greenery.
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: "In my manifesto I committed to planting 20,000 trees across Watford. We have made great progress with tree planting in our parks and our streets, but tree giveaways like Your Tree, Our Future give residents the chance to take part and help us achieve our goal.
“I am delighted that by working with Hertfordshire County Council once again we will be able to give out 9,000 trees across the town. This will make a great difference to our goal of being a net zero borough by 2030. I would urge all residents to claim their trees before supplies run out.”
To apply for the 'Your Tree Our Future' program, residents can visit the Hertfordshire County Council website or contact their local council representatives for more information. Applications at hertfordshire.gov.uk/yourtree will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until all 4,500 trees are allocated.