Trees to be replaced in Burnley and Belmont (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Trees to be replaced in Burnley and Belmont

1:58pm Tuesday 8th December 2009 in

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A REPLACEMENT scheme aimed at preventing road accidents has been launched which will see 7km of trees felled and replaced.

The new project which is being spearheaded by United Utilities will see old conifers which are reaching the end of their natural lives felled and replaced with native broadleaf trees such as oak, hawthorn, willow and ash.

The company will be replacing trees on woodland bordering the A666 in Stonesbank, Langworth Road, and the A675 in Belmont with around seven kilometres of tree lined roadway tackled in total.

They are hoping the move will prevent the trees falling into roads during heavy winds.

Matt Taylor, Woodland Officer for United Utilities said: "This scheme will ensure the safety of motorists during storms.

"The old conifers have shallow roots and are more likely to be blown over during heavy buffeting, so it's important that we take action.

"Replacing them with native trees will protect public safety, boost biodiversity and improve the overall appearance of these sites."

Timber from the felled conifers will be used in a variety of environ-mentally-sustainable programmes, such as wood chip fuelled power stations.

Work is set to commence on December 14 with a completion date in February, next year. There will be no road closures or traffic restrictions during the work.

United Utilities employs seven full-time woodland officers who are tasked with managing trees on the land that surrounds the company's reservoirs.

He added: “Research indicates that the severity and frequency of the winds hitting the region is set to increase in future years, as a consequence of global warning, so schemes like these, which think ahead, will become more and more important.”