Five trees presented to Frome Town Council as part of the ‘Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy’ 50,000 tree giveaway.
David Warburton, MP for Somerton and Frome, has presented five saplings to Frome Mayor, Richard Ackroyd, and Frome Ranger Toni Duddridge, as part of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) initiative, a nationwide forest preservation scheme. The initiative saw fifty thousand trees distributed across the UK this month in support of the QCC and the landmark television documentary The Queen’s Green Planet, screened on ITV earlier this year.
David Warburton was invited to take part in the scheme by veteran Labour MP Rt Hon Frank Field MP. The QCC launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in 2015, and is a unique network of forest conservation initiatives. In support of the scheme, this month the Woodland Trust, funded by Sainsbury’s, offered a special commemorative pack of trees to participating MPs. A further 10,000 packs were given away to ITV viewers to plant across the country.
David received a pack containing five saplings: one Hazel, two Silver Birch and two Rowan. All UK-sourced and grown, the trees can expect to reach 12-25m in height.
David said, “The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy is a fabulous forest conservation scheme and I’m delighted to present these five young saplings to Frome Town Council to be planted at suitable sites across Frome. Trees are vital for the environment, they improve soil, reduce carbon, trap pollutants and provide homes for so much wildlife. Obviously we have to preserve and protect Britain’s trees and I very much hope these specimens will be nurtured and enjoyed by Frome for years to come.”
Chris Stringer, Frome Town Council’s Environment Manager said, “Trees play such an important role in our parks and in the townscape; so we’re really pleased to have five more trees to plant around Frome.”