Maidenhead & Windsor

Maidenhead, Royal Borough tree wardens are celebrating branching out all over the borough following a successful lottery bid for a grant to plant trees in local parishes.

Since the award of the £5,000 grant from Awards for All last year, tree wardens have been busy organising the planting of 20 trees in 11 different parishes.

And to prove it's all been "plane sailing" so far, tree wardens will join Windsor MP Adam Afriyie, council members, officers and Lottery representatives to check on the progress of the London Plane specimen planted on the village green at Wraysbury at 11am on Friday February 2.

Ten other parishes across the borough have benefited from the scheme, with species of English oak, Small-leaf lime, Sweet chestnut, Wild cherry, Common ash, Red oak, Rowan, Silver birch and Red horse chestnut planted in recent months.

The grant funding from Awards for All – which is supported by the Arts Council of England, the Big Lottery Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England – is open to community groups and projects which promote education, the environment and health in the local community.

Cllr Richard Fagence, lead member for Maidenhead, community services, said: "The aim of the lottery bid by the tree wardens was to give parishes the opportunity to have new trees planted in their local areas.

"Tree wardens worked closely with parish councils to decide exactly what species of tree they wanted and where it should be planted, and then organised contractors to do the planting.

"I am delighted that the scheme has resulted in such a wonderful variety of new trees, which will undoubtedly serve to enhance the environment for the enjoyment of local residents."

Royal Borough tree wardens in each of the parishes will continue to monitor the welfare of each tree and report any care required.

For information on becoming a tree warden, contact Trevor Smith, senior Countryside Ranger on 01628 777440.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead