Ambitious plans for Cheshire East Council to go carbon neutral in four years are being helped by a tree planting scheme in Macclesfield.

The Countryside Ranger team have finished planting 200 trees this season at Riverside Park, Macclesfield, along the River Bollin.

Next season they will be planting a further 1000 oak trees at the park on Beechwood Mews, extending Sycamore Wood.

The new Riverside trees will help to capture carbon emissions and protect the river bank from erosion, which creates a diverse habitat.

Cllr Mick Warren, Independent for Macclesfield East had this to say:

"Taking action to combat climate change needs to be done collectively in order to have the impact that is required to protect the future of our borough.

"Working with partners in this way helps us to engage and support community groups, and we have seen volunteers around Cheshire East, as well as our future generation, pulling together to plant trees, which will help to absorb carbon emissions and improve the local environment."

Mr Warren, who is also a Macclesfield Town Councillor, added: "We understand that planting trees is only part of the solution to tackling climate change and are progressing other activities to address the emergency."

Cheshire East Council is committed to becoming carbon neutral in its operations by 2025, and in influencing the wider borough to reduce their emissions.

Planting season for trees usually ranges from late October to the end of March.

Overall this season, Cheshire East planted 15,000 trees around the borough.

Unrelated to Cheshire East, a Freedom of Information request to the Forestry Commission suggest there are currently no plans to plant new trees in Cheshire on their sites.

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