NEARLY 700 mature trees will be coming to public green spaces in Somerset following a successful bid for government funding.

Somerset Council has received £500,000 from the government’s urban tree challenge fund, which provides mature trees for parks and other public open spaces within towns and cities.

The funding will see hundreds of trees planted in parks across Somerset, with Taunton receiving the largest allocation, and pay for the trees to be maintained for the next three years.

Planting has already begun in numerous areas and is expected to conclude by the end of the tree planting season in March.

Planting these trees will deliver numerous benefits to Somerset residents, improving the level of shade during hot weather, improving air quality, reducing road noise and absorbing water to reduce the risk of localised flooding.

Of the 671 trees which are being planted in Somerset, 135 will be fruit- or nut-bearing, with the remainder being a mixture of native broad-leaf and non-native species.

Taunton will receive the lion’s share of the new trees, which will be distributed across the following locations:

A further 100 trees will be coming to Yeovil, shared between Lower Milford, Milford Park, Oak Tree Park and Yew Tree Park.

Castle Cary will receive 74 trees, shared between its cricket ground and Fairfield, while 46 trees will be planted at the Somerton Recreation Ground.

Of the remainder, 33 will be planted at Collett Park in Shepton Mallet – complementing the town council’s ambitions for the green space – and 15 will be planted at the Barn Street Recreation Ground in Crewkerne.

Councillor Graham Oakes, portfolio holder for public health, the environment and climate change, said: “We are thrilled to have secured funding from the urban tree challenge fund allowing us to plant more trees in urban green spaces across Somerset.

“This initiative is another step towards enhancing our green spaces and a significant move towards ensuring cleaner air and a healthier environment for our communities.

“As part of our ten-year Somerset tree strategy, we are committed to investing in a greener, more sustainable future for Somerset.”

The Somerset tree strategy seeks to increase the amount of Somerset covered by trees from its current level of eight per cent to the national average of 13 per cent by 2033.

For guidance and support about planting trees in your local area, email [email protected].