Network Rail has announced that they have teamed up with a national conservation charity, called The Tree Council.
Their plan is to plant more than 80,000 trees and hedgerows across the UK this winter, as part of a four-year, £1 million tree planting pledge.
The first 20,000 trees will be planted before Christmas and the other 60,000 by the end of March 2021 with many more to follow in years to come. Trees are being planted across the country, from the Wirral to Worcester in the woodland and city parks areas.
£1 million was donated last year to give the different places money, materials and other things needed to get them planted.
Network Rail has over 6 million trees beside the railway and these are carefully managed to keep trains and people safe.
During National Tree Week, Andrew Haines started the project to plant trees in West Sussex, alongside the CEO of The Tree Council Sara Lom and parish council chair Andrew Shaxton.
Andrew Haines, chief executive of Network Rail, said: “We're absolutely committed to making a real difference to our environment – decarbonising trains, using greener forms of energy, reducing waste, helping our passengers make greener choices – and planting more trees is a huge part of that.
“Everyone knows that leaves on the line – the railway equivalent of black ice on the roads – can be a real problem, but by working hand-in-hand with experts like The Tree Council and with local communities we can strike the right balance between the safe and reliable running of the railway and the protection and enhancement of the environment.
“More than 80,000 trees in the ground by the end of this planting season is a massive achievement and a reason to celebrate but I'm determined this is only the beginning. We can achieve even more in the future.”
Welcoming the scheme, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This is a ground-breaking project to create and improve woodlands around the country.
“Last month the Government presented its ‘ten point plan' for a green industrial revolution and Network Rail's tree planting scheme is a major early step towards making a key industry, rail, even greener.”
Sara Lom, CEO of The Tree Council, said: “This year has brought home to us just how important trees are to our health and wellbeing and that of our planet. Trees look after us and we need to look after them. These wonderful community projects in our cities and towns, on farms, along highways and in heritage churchyards, will benefit wildlife, bring recovery and wellbeing and help tackle the climate crisis – a welcome bit of good news for nature and communities during this challenging time.”
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It would be better if Network Rail committed to maintaining and managing more of its trees rather than coppicing them, as it is doing in Armley, Leeds. Also need to develop better working relations with lineside neighbours.