North Northamptonshire Council awarded grant by government as part of its Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund

North Northamptonshire Council has received £150,000 of government funds to help support its tree planting programme over the next two seasons.

The grant comes by way of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as part of its Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund, which provides financial support to increase specialist skills within local authorities to prioritise tree planting and woodland creation moving forward.

Speaking on the new funding for NNC, council leader Cllr Jason Smithers said: “We very much welcome this additional funding to help support our tree planting programme which is important in so many ways.

"We live in a beautiful part of the country with historic links to the ancient Rockingham Forest – so any support we receive in enhancing our landscape is greatly appreciated.”

Cllr Harriet Pentland, NNC’s member for climate and the green environment, said: “Trees are so important for us all - cleaning our air, capturing carbon, providing habitats and working with us in the fight against climate change.

"Locally, trees are important for our communities in supporting our well-being and improving the quality of our lives, as well as creating havens for wildlife.”

North Northamptonshire is littered with beautiful woodland areas, from the King’s Wood Nature Reserve in Corby to Fermyn Woods Country Park in Brigstock.

More than 4,500 trees have been planted all over the county in the 21/22 season, with funding being approved not long after two trees from the Queen’s Green Canopy were gifted to Chichele College in Higham Ferrers and the Green Patch in Kettering.