R4U led Saffron Walden Town Council plants 750 more trees

R4U led Saffron Walden Town Council has embarked on its latest round of tree-planting, with some 750 trees and hedging plants being planted.

R4U’s Cllr Dave McLellan, who led this year’s initiative, said “We’re delighted that Saffron Walden Town Council is now planting 750 new trees and hedging shrubs in addition to the nearly 3,000 planted last year. The Council decided to concentrate on the areas around Bridge End Gardens, specifically the Anglo-American Playing Fields and Borough Meadow. Hedges are being extended, and new shrub areas and new specimen trees planted, including oaks, hornbeam and cherries, to replace a number of trees which had to be taken down in recent years and to extend the tree cover. The Council has also been very careful to ensure that the new planting complements Bridge End Gardens. The planting is part of R4U’s eco-agenda at Saffron Walden Town Council to re-green the town.”

Cllr McLellan continued “Because of Covid, sadly this year the Council had to take the decision not to involve public volunteers. This was a great shame given the huge help residents gave as part of the community planting last year. However help was gratefully received again from a team of Essex Wildlife Trust volunteers who recently joined with a number of SWTC councillors and SWTC staff. The weather was perfect for the planting, and was then followed by a day of continuous rain to bed everything in. The great majority of the trees for this year have now been planted, and the hope is to finish the remaining ones before Christmas. It is really encouraging to see how well the hedges planted last year are doing.”

R4U's Cllrs Dave McLelland and Richard Freeman digging in.

A small team undertook planting this year due to Covid restrictions.

About Residents for Uttlesford