THOUSANDS of free trees are being offered to farmers across Rugby borough under a new scheme.
Rugby Borough Council has joined the Free Trees for Farmers initiative, and will offer up to 14,000 trees to farmers in the area to help with its climate objectives.
The scheme, initiated by Warwickshire Wildlife Trust in 2021, has already planted 75,000 trees in Warwickshire over the past four years, to promote sustainable agriculture.
The scheme offers a selection of native trees, ensuring a variety of blossoming and fruiting times throughout the year that encourage biodiversity and support different pollinators. Farmers can choose from different tree packs, including hedgerow, fruit, and woodland trees, tailored to suit their land.
The project in Rugby will be funded by 30,000 from the council’s Climate Reserve, a dedicated pot of funding for climate-focused projects.
Coun Maggie O’Rourke, Rugby Borough Council’s spokesperson for partnerships and wellbeing, said: “This initiative is a great opportunity for farmers to access free trees for their land, promoting biodiversity for the future. Farmers can choose from a variety of tree packs, helping the borough enhance the diversity of its tree population.”
Her Liberal Democrat counterpart Coun Neil Sandison added: “Warwickshire and Rugby have lost substantial tree cover over the years. Support from farmers will help this scheme to restore some of our woodland and wildlife habitats by backing the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s Trees for Farmers initiative.
“Hedgerows are also vitally important as wildlife green corridors, the natural world’s superhighways, and they provide excellent flower margins for insects.”
Farmers within the local authority’s boundaries interested in receiving free trees should apply before the deadline at 11pm on Sunday July 13. Visit https://tinyurl.com/39ne6y4s to apply.
