A LOCAL town councillor has secured funding for a tree-planting scheme in her town. 

Newquay Town Councillor Sarah Thomson has helped secure funding for a tree-planting programme on several roads in Newquay – and says its just the beginning.

Residents tend to love trees in the towns where they live – and with good reason. Trees don’t just look lovely and help to connect town-dwellers with nature; they also capture carbon from the atmosphere and can help mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Chatting with local residents, Green Party Councillor Sarah Thomson learned that Newquay had once had more trees, including an avenue of these on Glamis Road, planted in the 1990s by pupils at Tretherrsas School. Sadly, these had not been well looked after and had been gradually lost over time – but many residents greatly missed them.

“I suggested that Glamis Road could become the focal point for a grant bid as part of the Forests for Cornwall scheme, under the government’s Urban Tree Challenge,” Sarah said. “And last week we heard that we’ve succeeded!”

“I’d really like to thank Jonathan Warren of Forests for Cornwall for all the work he and his team have put into the bid. Altogether, this has secured over £300,000 for various Cornish towns, but Newquay forms the largest element.”

Jonathan broke the good news to Sarah at an event at Newquay Orchard last Saturday, where his team were giving away free trees for small urban gardens.

He said: “Tree planting is scheduled to take place in January in Glamis Road and Chester Road, and next winter in Hillgrove Road, Whitegate Road and St Aubyn Crescent. It’s quite a big undertaking!”

Sarah is determined to make sure that the young trees are properly looked after this time:

“I’m really looking forward to seeing these trees mature - they’ll be a beautiful addition to Newquay’s urban environment. And trees in towns also have a cooling effect that’s all the more important with our rapidly changing weather patterns and the super-hot conditions we’re now seeing in British summers.  

“And I’m hoping this is just the start. I’m currently working on a Newquay Tree Strategy, including a tree audit, and writing a 10-year plan for Priory Wood that will develop this Newquay Town Council site into a true community space, with improved access and increased biodiversity. Ideally, I’d like to see Cornwall Council develop an overarching Tree Strategy that would make grant applications easier in the future”.