Residents, businesses, and community groups in West Yorkshire now have the power to green their neighbourhoods, thanks to a new council partnership with Trees for Streets.

Leeds City Council has chosen to pilot the National Street Tree Sponsorship scheme in the city this year.

Residents can request to sponsor and look after a brand new semi-mature street tree at a location with a grass verge of their choosing in Leeds for £150.

Trees for Streets works in partnership with Leeds City Council to get the trees planted. The charity engages with the local community, whilst the council manages the planting of the sponsored trees at the requested locations.

Leeds City Council has chosen to pilot the National Street Tree Sponsorship scheme in the city this year, with the purpose of unlocking urban greening and getting communities more involved in local tree planting and after-care.

During summer months, residents will take on the job of watering their sponsored trees.

The new scheme is the latest effort towards Leeds’ ambitious target of practically doubling the number of trees across the district by 2050.

Coun Mohammed Rafique, Executive Member for Climate, Energy, Environment and Green Space, said: “I am always amazed by the incredible benefits that the right trees, planted in the right places, can have and street trees are some of the most beneficial of all."

Around 150 hectares of woodland has already been planted on public land with the help of volunteers since the launch of the council’s Woodland Creation Scheme. Meanwhile, private landowners (including farmers) in the district are also being helped to access support to plant trees through the council’s partnership with the White Rose Forest initiative.

Yorkshire council's latest scheme as part of plans to double numbers of trees on streets by 2050