Sheffield Council’s tree transformation part of region’s greener future: The Yorkshire Post says

Given Sheffield Council’s unfortunate association with tree-felling in recent years, the news that the local authority is among 11 councils to receive a share of an “emergency tree fund” is certain to raise some eyebrows.
After a long battle over tree-felling in Sheffield, the city is now one of 11 councils given funding by the Woodland Trust to increase planting after changing its approach.After a long battle over tree-felling in Sheffield, the city is now one of 11 councils given funding by the Woodland Trust to increase planting after changing its approach.
After a long battle over tree-felling in Sheffield, the city is now one of 11 councils given funding by the Woodland Trust to increase planting after changing its approach.

But the fact that the council, whose wrong-headed approach to the issue of highways management infamously led to the removal of thousands of healthy street trees, is part of the new Woodland Trust scheme should be greeted positively.

The council transformed its approach since the controversial felling of street trees several years ago following negotiations with protesters and the fact it is now engaging with this new scheme gives further cause to hope it is on the right track. The council will receive almost £200,000 from an overall £2.9m fund – money which will be used in the city to set up what is being dubbed the ‘Treevitalise’ project.

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Its aims are to engage communities protecting and restoring woodland, boost the community forestry team, and protect trees outside woods.

The move is a welcome step in the right direction – and a reminder how both the residents of Yorkshire and the organisations which represent them are becoming increasingly environmentally-conscious in their decision-making.

From the recent refusal to expand a bottle-making plant into a nearby wood by Harrogate councillors to the new National Infrastructure Bank being established in Leeds with the specific aim of supporting projects that bring about the “green industrial revolution”, there are seeds of hope emerging which suggest Yorkshire can be at the vanguard of the nation’s eco-friendly future.

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