Community groups, charities and schools urged to apply for funding to add trees in urban areas from £10m pot – Scottish Business News

COMMUNITY groups, local authorities, charities and schools urged to apply for funding to add trees in urban areas from a pot of up to £10m

Fruit and nut trees in Raploch gardens and tree wardens on the Clyde show that “from small acorns, mighty oaks grow”.

Future Woodlands Scotland and bp are on a mission to add more trees and green spaces to Scotland’s cities and towns.

The charity, which is dedicated to creating and conserving woodlands across Scotland, has secured up to £10m from the integrated energy company to deliver the Urban Forestry Programme, which opens for applications today.

Community groups, local authorities, NGOs, charities and schools are being encouraged to apply for funding of up to £100,000 for projects, which aim to deliver more trees and green spaces in urban neighbourhoods and, in turn, are expected to support biodiversity, education, community involvement and job creation.

With Scotland’s urban tree cover (under 16%) much lower than the EU average of 30.2%, increasing the number of trees in its cities and towns helps support the journey to net zero and deliver a wide range of socio-economic benefits.

The programme’s ambition is to support urban projects that contribute to the 3:30:300 rule whereby everyone should see three trees from their home, every neighbourhood has a 30% tree canopy and quality green space within 300 metres.

Applications from areas which have the fewest trees will be prioritised. This will be measured by the Tree Equity tool, which was created to address imbalances in urban tree distribution by American Forests, a US non-profit organisation, and was brought to the UK by the Woodland Trust and Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. 

Shireen Chambers, CEO of Future Woodlands Scotland said: “Trees are vital for boosting nature, combating flooding, providing shelter, reducing pollution and improving mental health. To ensure our towns and cities are healthy environments to live in, we need to plant and nurture more trees. Our goal is for everyone to benefit from trees, whether through learning about them, actively engaging in their care or simply spending time among them.

“We’re grateful to bp for helping us to realise this ambition through the Urban Forestry Programme. They have supported the regeneration of woodlands in Scotland for more than 20 years and are committed to making a positive impact to restore and enhance biodiversity where people live and work.

“Today marks a significant milestone for both FWS and bp as we open up applications for new projects. We’re particularly interested in proposals focused on areas most in need of well-maintained trees and woodlands. We urge all eligible groups to apply. Big things come from small beginnings and we’re looking for projects of all shapes and sizes. After all, mighty oaks grow from little acorns!”

FWS and bp share a vision for Scotland in which trees and native woodland are thriving for everyone.

Tom Hudson, bp’s project director, offshore wind said: “Over the next decade, Future Woodlands Scotland and bp will collaborate to include more trees in Scotland’s cities, towns and urban areas. We are delighted to support the charity creating leafier neighbourhoods, including trees in parks, streets, amenity areas and along canals and rivers.”

bp’s contribution to the programme represents a significant part of its commitments to Scotland, which were made as part of the ScotWind bid for its Morven offshore wind project.

The Urban Forestry Programme has already funded two pilot projects: a fruit and nut tree planting project in Stirling, and a tree warden volunteer scheme in Glasgow.

The free fruit and nut tree project will see 200 apple, pear and walnut trees planted in Raploch and Bannockburn. Despite on-going regeneration to tackle social and environmental challenges in the region, tree planting has been overlooked. Local environmental organisation, Treelink Stirling, has received funding from the Urban Forestry Programme to plant productive trees in residents’ gardens which will not only increase the tree canopy cover but also yield healthy produce which can be enjoyed by the local community.

Thanks to funding from the Urban Forestry Programme, the Clyde Climate Forest (CCF) initiative, active across the Glasgow City Region, has employed a Community Volunteer Co-ordinator.

Laura Salvage has taken up the post and will roll out the Tree Council’s Tree Warden scheme in the Region, recruiting and training local Tree Warden volunteers to help care for more than 10,000 newly planted urban trees.

The Tree Wardens will support local communities in planting and maintaining trees. They will be able to follow their interests and that may include doing guided walks, managing local woodlands and encouraging others to participate in planting and caring for trees. This will help increase urban tree canopy cover in areas vulnerable to climate impacts.

In line with CCF’s vision to plant the right trees in the right places to help nature recover and thrive, to protect and mitigate against climate change, and to create an ecologically secure environment for future generations, the Tree Wardens will help protect the Clyde Climate Forest for future generations.

Chris Stark, Director of Clyde Climate Forest, said: “The Tree Warden scheme is crucial for ensuring our urban trees stay healthy and thrive, and receiving support from the Urban Forestry Programme is a fantastic boost.  We’re excited about the positive changes this initiative will bring to Glasgow’s green spaces.” 

Applications for the new Urban Forestry Programme grants are open until 15 November 2024. More information, including eligibility criteria and application guidelines, is available at www.futurewoodlands.org.uk