Press Release
Celebrating National Tree Week
New Milton Town Council always look forward to celebrating National Tree Week (25 November – 3 December), and this year planted trees for local residents including Mary Lunnon and Lynne Ball (Lynne was unable to join us on the day) who participated in the council’s Plant a Tree initiative. A popular scheme encouraging community participation and contribution enhancing the town’s green canopy, whilst remembering loved ones or special anniversaries, or just for the love of trees.
The open green space adjacent to the playpark at Doe Copse Way was chosen by Mary and Lynne who paid for Silver Birch trees to be planted in remembrance of their late husbands.
Cllr David Hawkins, Mayor of New Milton, and Cllr Geoff Blunden, Chairman of Amenities Committee, joined Mary as she added the topsoil.
Mary said “I’ve planted this tree in memory of my husband Chris, who was a local businessman and he loved living here. This is a very fitting tribute to him.”
This planting season, over 100 trees will be planted by the Estates team at various green spaces in New Milton. The list of tree species includes some resident favourites, Hawthorn, Flowering and Wild Cherry, and Crab Apple, to be planted on council owned land at Ballard Lake, Longmeadow, Ashley Recreation Ground and Fawcetts Field Sports Facility.
Planting these trees will continue to help us maintain our environment, in turn benefitting our overall health and well-being, and producing the positive outcomes we need in our fight to look after nature.
A community orchard will also be planted by the council early in the new year near the Community Garden Project at Fawcetts Field Sports Facility. We’ll be planting a variety of heritage fruit trees including Brownlees Russet and Cats Head – a cooking apple shaped like its name! These trees will add to our tree biodiversity offering sweetly scented flowers for pollinators and habitat for other invertebrates, and of course fruit for our consumption!
Cllr Geoff Blunden, Chairman of Amenities Committee, said “Taking part in National Tree Week as the UK’s largest annual tree celebration is extra special this year as it marks the 50th anniversary of the campaign ‘Plant a Tree for ’73’ and the formation of the Tree Council. And we are delighted to continue supporting the campaign with our community who are so enthusiastic about trees and want to get involved with our own Plant a Tree initiative. It is great to meet and talk to local people and hear their stories, acknowledging how incredibly poignant it is to plant a tree as a living memorial to remember a loved one.”
Further information available from:
Graham Flexman
Town Clerk, New Milton Town Council
Email: info@newmiltontowncouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01425 619120
Dated: 30 November 2023