Introducing the Your Tree Our Future Scheme for Hertfordshire Residents

Hertfordshire County Council is offering residents the chance to claim free trees as part of its ‘Your Tree Our Future’ scheme which will see 100,000 trees given away over the next four years.

The scheme will help the council to deliver on several of its Sustainable Hertfordshire ambitions as planting trees has a positive impact on air quality, helps reduce the carbon in our atmosphere, supports biodiversity and can help communities adapt to the impacts of climate change. In addition, access to natural features has been linked with benefits to physical and mental health.

The ‘Your Tree Our Future’ scheme was created as part of the county council’s Tree and Woodland Strategy, which sets out how the council will increase tree cover in the county. The scheme will be delivered in partnership with all ten district and borough councils.

Cllr Eric Buckmaster, Executive Member for The Environment at Hertfordshire County Council said: ‘As part of our Sustainable Hertfordshire Strategy, we have committed to enabling our residents and businesses to take positive climate action, and the Your Tree Our Future scheme is a fantastic opportunity for them to get involved.

‘Working in partnership with our district and borough colleagues to give our residents the tools to help tackle the climate crisis is a great example of the kind of cooperation that we need to create a more sustainable Hertfordshire.’

Cllr Barrett, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services at Dacorum Borough Council, said: ‘This is a great opportunity for Dacorum’s residents to help do their bit to improve local air quality, support wildlife and take positive action against climate change. I hope many residents take up the offer of a free tree to plant in their garden – helping to create a more sustainable borough for all.’

Hertfordshire residents can visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/yourtree where they will be able to choose from a selection of eight different native species, or a hedgerow pack, which will be provided on a first come first served basis. Residents who have successfully requested free trees will receive an email from the council with details of how to collect them from a local pick-up point in December 2022.

The Your Tree Our Future project will run for four years, starting in Autumn/Winter 2022 where 10,000 trees will be available. A further 30,000 trees will be available each year for the following three years.

The county council’s Sustainable Hertfordshire Strategy sets out how it plans to become a more sustainable organisation while also helping to tackle the climate crisis in Hertfordshire. The key ambitions of the strategy that are supported by this project are: net zero greenhouse gas county by 2050, enhance nature across Hertfordshire’s land and water by 20% by 2050, cleaner air for all by 2030 and communities ready for future climates. Find out more about the council’s sustainability work at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/sustainability