£140,000 funding to help create tiny forest at Caldecote and Stotfold schools

More woodlands are to be created in Central Beds thanks to £140k of funding – including two at Chronicle Country schools.

Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) has been awarded the Woodland Creation Accelerator Funding by the Government to help support sustainability and enhance biodiversity.

And the initial wave of ‘tiny forest’ projects includes one at Caldecote Church of England Academy and one at Fairfield Lower Park School.

Cllr Steven Dixon, executive member for Sustainability and Public Protection, said: “We all know how trees and our woodlands can help combat climate change but they also contribute to making our communities such great places to live. We will continue to grasp every opportunity to plant more trees in Central Bedfordshire.”

Five tiny forests will be planted in the area this planting season from October to March. The size of a tennis court, these dense fast-growing native woodlands are planted, without using chemicals or fertilisers, to improve areas of urban tree population and help connect communities to nature in their area. Other tree planting continues with the Tree Planting Grant and Tree Giveaway initiatives available to community groups, businesses, community groups and residents. Last planting season the Tree Giveaway pilot saw over 300 trees planted in people’s back gardens. So far, the Tree Planting Grant has supported the planting of over 18,500 trees and 3km of hedgerows.

Two more Tiny Forest projects are also confirmed for the 2023/24 tree planting season. Interested applicants for future projects can find out more information by emailing [email protected].

For more information tree planting in Central Bedfordshire visit the website.