The One Trafford Partnership have assisted in securing funding for over a hundred new trees to be planted as part of the Government’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund. One Trafford, a collaboration between Trafford Council and Amey, are working with City of Trees to identify parks and green spaces in Trafford to plant the new trees.
The Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) is a £10 million government fund for planting both large and small trees in towns and cities across England. The bid, coordinated by City of Trees, has provided access to funding for all ten districts within Greater Manchester. One Trafford will be supporting Trafford Council in increasing the number of trees in the borough by identifying areas where there is currently little tree cover or established trees. With all ten Greater Manchester districts planting trees together, One Trafford will be contributing to Greater Manchester’s 5 Year Environment Plan (2019-2024).
12 spaces have already been identified in Trafford, of which, three have already received new trees including Seymour Park, Hullard Park and Stretford Road. These spaces, which are close to the city centre border with Manchester, are areas in which air pollutants like nitrogen dioxide may exceed the limit according to Greater Manchester’s Clean Air predictions. Some of the tree species will include Maple Liquid Amber, Maple Emerald Queen, Beech Dawyck Gold and Birch Grayswood Ghost.
Other parks identified, including Victoria Park, Dainewell Park, Cross Lane Park, Woodsend Park and some open streets will be receiving up to 20 new trees over the next few weeks and months.
Greater Manchester is facing urgent environmental challenges which could threaten the health and welfare of the city. In response to this, over the last few years One Trafford have been delivering a number of biodiversity projects to improve ecology of Trafford. One of these includes the Wilding Trafford programme which aims to create thriving, wild spaces for insects, pollinators, and small mammals and to educate Trafford’s younger residents. One Trafford have also been partnering up with The Conversation Volunteers (TCV) and local schools over the last two years to bring these local green spaces to life. In that time, we have planted thousands of bulbs; reconnected waterways at Urmston Meadows for the potential reintroduction of Water Voles; created wildflower meadows and provided wildflower seed mixes for Friends of Parks groups and community groups.
For more information about the work being carried out in Trafford’s parks and green spaces visit www.trafford.gov.uk/parkmaintenance