Mature trees to help retain city's green reputation

Many of the city's trees are now reaching the end of their natural lifespan and the council is involved in a long-term project to replace them.

The latest phase has seen the delivery of more than 300 mature specimens to Sheffield Council's Norton Nursery, in preparation for a planting programme this autumn.

This year's work is the third annual initiative to secure the future of Sheffield's green spaces and will bring the total planted to more than 30,000 trees. The current work is different to previous years because more mature specimens have been selected.

The council regards the work as an "essential contribution" towards stopping the decline of Sheffield's urban forest and the authority's Community Forestry Team will be responsible for the work, which is expected to be carried out with schools and community organisations and is being described as "probably the greatest ever planting scheme in the city" by officials.

Coun Shaffaq Mohammed, the Council's Cabinet member for Communities said: "We have deliberately chosen more mature trees this year to ensure they become established quicker.

"It's great to see the first trees arriving and now we have the hard work of planting them all.

"We are committed to working with local residents, community groups and schools to plant these trees and have listened to them to identify sites for planting over the next few months."

It is hoped that planting mature new trees will kick-start the wider regeneration of Sheffield's wooded areas. It is expected that future generations will continue to benefit from the work, which should also help to minimise the future impact of climate change on the area.

A wide range of species will be introduced, including some exotic alternatives and fruit trees. Some have been chosen specifically for their drought resistance, in case weather patterns change.

The council aims to involve as many people from the community as possible, so schools will be invited to take part alongside voluntary sector and community groups.

An educational element will also be developed alongside the planting, informing schoolchildren of climate change issues, the value of trees and raising awareness amongst the public of the need to plant trees to help 'climate-proof' the city for the future