Environment Agency has planted 80,000 trees in Cumbria

Environment Agency celebrates planting over 80,000 trees in Cumbria. 

The trees have provided riverbank stabilisation, created shaded areas to boost fish populations, helped slow the flow of rivers during high rainfall and bought benefits for biodiversity and wildlife. 

The tree planting was funded by money from the sale of Environment Agency fishing licenses and a number of parter organisations including local angling associations, Natural England, Lake District National Park, Rivers trusts and Forestry England.

Mike Farrell, spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: ‘Planting over 80,000 trees is a significant achievement that brings countless benefits for people, the environment and the wildlife that depend on it.

‘I would like to thank all our partners for the support and commitment that they have shown over the years. Without them, this achievement would not have been possible.

‘Our combined efforts to create new woodlands have boosted biodiversity, helped safeguard our environment for future generations and supported sustainable rural communities.

‘We are always on the lookout for volunteers to spend the day tree planting with us and with three thousand trees ready to be planted between now and March 2022 I would like to urge anyone interested to get in touch.’

As part of the £76million Kendal Flood Risk Management Scheme, the Environment Agency has committed to planting a further 4,000 trees in Kendal with 15,000 being planted throughout the River Kent Catchment over the coming years.

Different sized trees will be planted in order to serve different functions to best suit locations.

Native species will be planted in more rural locations and in the town centre locations, ornamental trees that are suitable for urban planting will be planted to suit the character of the town. The Environment Agency has also been working with community groups in Kendal to take cuttings from the existing trees along the river. These cuttings will be replanted around the town once the construction of the £76m flood risk management scheme is complete.