Finding room for trees (From York Press)

Finding room for trees

7:34am Saturday 28th April 2012 in Eco info

RESIDENTS have been urged to have their say on their local areas in a new Government bid to form neighbourhood plans.

The Woodland Trust has backed the scheme, which forms part of new legislation to give communities more influence on decisions about housing, transport, facilities and the local environment.

Victoria Bankes Price, Woodland Trust planning adviser, said: “We have a range of advice and resources to help communities with what might at first seem like a daunting task, and we are currently looking for communities eager to ensure trees are included in their neighbourhood plan to come forward and act as examples of best practice in this new process.

“They are important not only for the environment but also for the economy and the general health and wellbeing of our population.

“The inclusion of trees as part of a neighbourhood plan can mean designating places to plant new trees, but also offers the opportunity to ensure the protection from development of existing trees and woods."

To put your community forward as an example of best practice, or for advice on including woods and trees as part of a neighbourhood plan, go to woodlandtrust.org.uk/neighbourhood-planning