Anger after vandals damage hundreds of newly planted trees in Leamington

Hundreds of newly planted trees in an area of Leamington have been damaged by vandals

The 200 saplings, which had been planted on the Campion Hills as part of Warwick District Council’s Trees for our Future project, were found to have had their protective guards and stakes removed, most of which had been stolen or broken.

Cllr Alan Rhead, the council’s portfolio holder for environment and neighbourhood services, said: “This is incredibly disheartening to see and means the hard work and resources that have gone into improving the local area have been wasted.

"Tree establishment is a critical period in the creation and management of woodland, with newly planted trees particularly susceptible to damage from rabbits, deer and voles.

"Tree guards not only help protect the trees, but also assist with the uptake of water at the roots. Their removal means the trees are now less likely to survive.”

“Trees for our future’ is part of the council’s ongoing commitment to help combat the impacts of climate change and will have a positive impact on health and wellbeing across the area.

"Over 5,000 trees have been planted to date with an ambitious target of planting 160,000 trees by 2030 - one for every resident living in the district.

Cllrr Rhead added: “Following this incident, I would like to send out a plea to our whole community to support the good work our officers are doing and to encourage others to leave these newly planted trees, so that we can establish new woodland areas and wildlife habitats for the benefit of generations to come.”

Information and contact details for the Trees for our Future scheme can be found on the Warwick District Council website.

https://bit.ly/3Mja8zx

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust’s chief executive Ed Green has said: “The planting of the right trees in the right places with the right care is one of the many ways which we need to respond to the climate and ecological crisis. We therefore welcome the commitment to a major programme of woodland creation in Warwick District brought about by tree planting and natural regeneration.