A further 30,000 trees planted in Cardiff since October 2022

30/03/23

Since October last year, a further 30,000 trees have been planted in Cardiff as part of the Coed Caerdydd project.

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Caerwen Farm, Pentyrch planting hedgerow with Coed Caerdydd volunteers and Hayes Recruitment

The 10-year project which is now at the end of its second planting season, is part of the council's response to the climate change emergency and aims to increase tree canopy cover in the city from 18.9% to 25%.

152 planting events have taken place across the city since October, with residents, local community groups and schools helping to plant 11.5 hectares of land, the equivalent of 21 football pitches, with trees.

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Ton Yr Ywen Primary, Heath planting hedgerow with school pupils

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Splott Park, Splott planting woodland mix with Coed Caerdydd volunteers

Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said: "If we are going to realise our vision of carbon neutral city by 2030, not only do we have to reduce carbon emissions at source by encouraging people to leave their cars at home and use public transport, walking or cycling, we also need to plant many more trees to help absorb carbon emissions.

"Cardiff's trees already remove the annual emissions of around 14,000 cars from the atmosphere, and absorb 10.5% of the pollutants emitted by traffic. Working together with communities and volunteers, the ambitious Coed Caerdydd project aims to grow the city's tree canopy year on year, creating an urban forest that will provide us all with cleaner air and a greener city to enjoy."

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Maes Y Coed open space, Heath planting fruit trees with Mary Immaculate High School pupils

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Heath Park, Heath planting woodland mix with volunteers from Wates Construction and Legal & General

Trees planted as part of the project are generally native species, selected to be resilient to climate change and planting sessions also include advice to community groups on how they can help care for the newly planted trees, to help ensure as many as possible survive to full maturity.

Since the Coed Caerdydd Project started in 2020, more than 50,000 trees have been planted in Cardiff.

Cllr Burke continued: "It is lovely to see so many events taking place with community groups, the public and importantly in schools, enabling children to learn about the importance of trees, how to look after them, and their environmental benefits.

"1,300 volunteers have given 2,600 hours of their time to plant trees this season, which is fantastic and shows the true community spirit that exists in our city. This is a project that everyone can get involved in, whether that's by suggesting sites for new planting, monitoring the health of trees, and if you have private outdoor space, the team can also supply free trees and advice, for your garden. Together, we can make a difference and reduce Cardiff's carbon footprint."

How can you get involved?

Help monitor newly planted trees by getting in touch if you notice any signs of damage or poor health.

Suggest new sites for tree planting in your area.

Participate in site surveying, tree planting and tree nursery volunteering opportunities.

Join the Coed Caerdydd mailing list by emailing coedcaerdyddproject@cardiff.gov.uk or follow @coedcaerdydd on social media for information on tree planting, aftercare and other events.