'Micro woods' the size of two tennis courts to be planted in York

Two woods roughly the size of tennis courts are set to be planted in York using money offered to mark King Charles’ coronation.

One of the 200sqm ‘micro-woods’ is set to be planted north of The Fox in Holgate and the other south west of Village Street in Rawcliffe.

Paul McCabe, York Council’s green streets project manager, said the trees would be planted from October to March during the next planting season.

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Council Deputy Leader Coun Pete Kilbane said the site by The Fox was ideal while the exact location of the trees in Rawcliffe would be subject to further consultation.

King Charles stood next to a tree. Picture: Forestry CommissionKing Charles stood next to a tree. Picture: Forestry Commission
King Charles stood next to a tree. Picture: Forestry Commission

It follows a successful bid from the council for £38,784 from the Coronation Living Heritage Fund. The £2.5m fund was set up to mark King Charles’ coronation and aims to support tree planting in urban areas across England.

It requires the use of a method pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki where native trees are planted close together in small patches to create fast-growing miniature woodlands.

Council project manager Mr McCabe said the method produced woodlands which were 18 times richer in biodiversity compared to those grown using other methods.

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He added the tennis court-sized woods would fit with the council’s aim to increase tree canopy cover in York to 13 per cent by 2050.

The funding covers the planting of up to 600 trees in each plot and the first three years of maintenance, after which the woods become largely self-sustaining.

The sites chosen for planting were picked from around 50 out forward during a consultation with residents and parish councils. They were chosen because they were deemed to be among the areas most in need of more trees.

A reserve site on land south of Burnholme Sports Centre in Heworth has also been earmarked in case either of the two chosen cannot be created.

Forestry Commission Chair William Worsley said micro-woods would allow communities enrich the environment for people, nature and wildlife for years to come when the funding was announced.

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