Clyde Climate Forest planting takes root across East Renfrewshire
Community woodland created in Barrhead
Published: 9 March 2023
The Council has signed a concordat agreement with the Clyde Climate Forest committing to help plant 18 million trees by 2031.
The authority is one of eight across Glasgow City Region aiming to connect up existing woodlands, plant new forests and target urban tree plantings in areas vulnerable to climate impacts.
The Clyde Climate Forest (CCF) was launched in June 2021 and since then the project has seen over 1.2 million trees planted in both urban and rural areas.
The council has committed to supporting delivery of the Clyde Climate Forest and to embed CCF targets into their own plans and policies, helping toward the authorities own Net Zero ambitions.
Max Hislop, Director of Clyde Climate Forest, said: 'I am delighted that East Renfrewshire Council has committed to our tree planting program by signing our Concordat agreement. Tree planting is crucial if we are to tackle both the climate and biodiversity emergencies. Community woodlands and trees bring many benefits to urban neighbourhoods, they help soak up excess rainwater in heavy downpours, create cooling effects in heatwaves, and provide vital carbon storage and wildlife habitat. We plan to work with multiple local communities across 2023 with an aim to plant up to 1000 trees in each of our target neighbourhoods as part of our '1000 Trees' Campaign.'
Children from Carlibar Primary School, in Barrhead, recently joined staff from environmental charity Trees for Cities, who are a Clyde Climate Forest delivery partner, to help plant 542 trees across the Dunterlie area of Barrhead.
Groups from the local Boys Brigade and local businesses also dug in to get the trees in the ground.
Other projects are likely to spring up across the region in the near future as the Council work with the CCF project to help them achieve their goal across the wider Glasgow City Region.
East Renfrewshire Council Leader Owen O'Donnell, who joined the planting in Dunterlie, said: 'We are committed to tackling climate change across the area and signing this agreement with the Clyde Climate Forest signals our real intent. I was delighted to have the opportunity to plant a number of trees at this project in Dunterlie and look forward to seeing this community woodland develop in the years ahead. As well as creating a fantastic new space for nature within Dunterlie, this initiative will contribute to our ambitions to reduce our carbon emissions as we target net zero by 2045.'
The Clyde Climate Forest is delivering part of the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network, with support from Green Action Trust, TCV, Glasgow City Region, Trees for Cities, Scottish Forestry and Woodland Trust Scotland.
More information can be found at www.clydeclimateforest.co.uk
