More than 22,000 trees will be planted across Burnley

The project, funded by National Lottery cash, will see the trees planted across the borough over the next four years.

The first consignment was bedded in the ground at Bank Hall on Sunday (November 26), and between now and March 24 2024, about 7,000 saplings will be shared out to create micro-woodlands in all 15 Burnley Council wards.

This first tranche is the result of Burnley’s latest Beat the Street game, in which 12,350 players of all ages took part to see how far they could walk, run, cycle, skate and scoot throughout the borough.

Participants were awarded points for the distance they covered with every 2,000 points earning a tree.

Tree planting in Burnley (Image: Burnley Leisure and Culture)

While the Beat the Street consignment has been funded by Trees for Cities, a UK charity which aims to plant urban trees and create greener cities, the rest of the project has been made possible by the lottery award.

This is the result of a joint bid by Burnley Leisure and Culture (BLC) and Burnley Borough Council, on whose behalf BLC operates the sport, leisure and cultural facilities belonging to the council, as well as delivering health and wellbeing services, sports development, arts and culture, and hospitality venues.

The aim of the project is to encourage local volunteers to plant thousands of new trees over the next four years, along with the creation of wildflower meadows in the borough’s parks and other public spaces.

As well as paying for trees, the money will fund a full-time community gardener, who will be based with the council’s green spaces and amenities team, and who will lead planting projects and other community workshops to encourage residents, families and schoolchildren to connect with the green spaces in their local parks and on their doorstep.

Paul Foster, BLC’s deputy chief executive, development and wellbeing, says the idea to apply for the funding came from Burnley’s two successful Beat the Street games in 2021 and this year.

Tree planting in Burnley (Image: Burnley Leisure and Culture)

Mr Foster said: “We plan to repeat Beat the Street in 2025 and 2027 and it was this process that gave us the idea, and the framework, to apply to the National Lottery Community Fund, which focuses on the link between nature and climate and aims to fund projects that encourage community-led climate action. By doing this we are hoping to create a legacy for years to come.”

The tree planting project comes under Burnley’s #OutdoorTown vision – where neighbourhoods are encouraged to develop ownership and pride in local green spaces, and residents recognise the value in accessing nature and the benefits it brings for them and the environment.

Cheryl Goodman, BLC’s health partnership manager, said: “By linking Beat the Street to our outdoor town vision we help to improve local knowledge on reducing CO2 emissions and improving biodiversity, while working with children creates a sustainability-minded community for the future. 

“All the sites will be cared for and further developed through a partnership between the borough council, the Trees for Burnley volunteer charity, and the Friends of Parks groups already well established in the town.”

The full list of tree planting locations and dates:

• Bank Hall, November 26
• Cartmel Drive November 27
• Piccadilly, November 29
• Whittlefield November 30
• Lodge Plantation, December 3
• Accrington Road, December 14

2024

• Highfield Avenue, January 7
• Rowley, February 4
• Parklands, February 8 and 15
• Disraeli Street, February 16
• Linear Park, February 22
• Lydgate, March 3
• Barclay Hills, March 7
• Burnley Wood Park, March 14
• Bedford Park, March 24

Cheryl added: “We believe we will reach more people through our neighbourhood-based approach. Our experience has taught us that we need to go to the places people are, rather than expecting them to come to us.

"It means the people who do get involved will have influence on improving the natural environment and biodiversity where they live.”