A West of England Metro Mayor candidate marked Earth Day by planting future trees at Lower Chew forest ahead of receiving an open letter from nature organisations.

On Tuesday, April 22, coinciding with Earth Day, Mayoral candidate Helen Godwin planted seedlings that will become the future trees of Lower Chew Forest, the largest new woodland in the South West in a generation.

The event was part of the campaign ‘Nature is Lush. Let’s Vote for it’ backed by more than 50 leading nature organisations, businesses and individuals from the West of England including Deborah Meaden, Chris Packham, George Ferguson and Dr Mya Rose Craig.

More than 1,000 local people are backing the call for an approach to nature that benefits people and the planet - the right kind of green growth.

The coalition, led by charity Avon Needs Trees, is asking candidates to commit to a specific set of pledges around nature recovery in the region. Candidates are expected to respond to the letter this week, in videos setting out their approach to nature recovery over the course of the four-year mayoral term.

Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden said: "This isn’t just about saving wildlife and biodiversity, It’s also an amazing opportunity for local people. Green spaces make us all happier and healthier. They can have a huge impact on things like local flooding, air and water quality.

“We need the next metro mayor to take a stand on an issue that people in the West of England care so deeply about."

The seeds planted were Guelder Rose, symbolic for its value to wildlife, with spring flowers and red berries in autumn which are an important food source for birds. They were collected from another Avon Needs Trees project, Hazeland, and will grow to become the future trees of Lower Chew Forest, a exemplar project for nature recovery in the region.

The Lower Chew Forest project was made possible by funding from the West of England Combined Authority which the Metro Mayor heads up. It will be a key part of the recently announced Western Forest, which aims to plant 20 million trees across 2,500 hectares in the area. As part of the UK’s first Local Nature Recovery Strategy, it shows how the West of England is poised to take a leading role on nature recovery in the UK.

The election on May 1 is projected to be particularly tight with recent polls outlining scenarios where all five of the political parties involved are in with a chance of winning.

While turnout to the election is expected to be low, the Metro Mayor of the West of England holds significant power, in particular in the areas of regional strategy, transport and green jobs. The campaign is calling on individuals to get out and vote, to make sure their voices are heard.

To sign the petition and make sure that nature is at the top of the agenda, visit the Avon Needs Trees website - https://avonneedstrees.org.uk/