Thousands of new trees planted in King's Lynn climate charge initiative
Thousands of new trees have been planted at locations in Lynn as part of borough council chiefs' attempts to combat the threat of climate change.
Officials say contractors will be responsible for the sites after hundreds of young trees died following a similar initiative two years ago.
The programme at Lynnsport and King's Reach is part of a climate change strategy outlined by West Norfolk Council last year, around the time the authority formally declared a climate emergency.
Paul Kunes, the council's cabinet member for environment, said today: "This is the first large-scale planting programme as part of the borough council’s strategy to tackle climate change and offset carbon dioxide emissions.
"We started the year by planting a small number of whips in The Walks, followed by more than 400 trees being planted in Sedgeford.
"It’s a great way of helping our environment, through planting native species, and will help towards being net carbon zero by 2030."
More than 6,000 new trees have been planted near Lynnsport with 500 others replanted at King's Reach.
In 2020, the council was accused by some environmental campaigners of failing to maintain hundreds of young trees which died soon after they were planted on the estate in a high-profile initiative.
But the authority says the Downham-based CGM Group has been given a contract to both plant and maintain the trees.
It also claims that, together, the two sites will eventually reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 150,000 kilograms a year, through a process known as carbon sequestration in which carbon dioxide found in the atmosphere is captured and stored.
Mr Kunes added: "This is just one step that the borough council have completed to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere."