West Yorkshire Moorland Tree Planting Initiative Nears Conclusion

An initiative focused on planting thousands of trees across West Yorkshire’s moorland areas is approaching its final stages. This specific undertaking, situated in Marsden and forming a component of a broader program involving the National Trust, Yorkshire Water, and White Rose Forest, is set to introduce a grand total of 65,000 young trees. The expectation is that this initiative will contribute to mitigating flooding across the Colne Valley, in addition to establishing novel environments for various wildlife species. The broader £7 million conservation effort, named Landscapes for Water, is scheduled to unfold over the forthcoming five-year period. Jess Yorke, who serves as a project manager for the National Trust, commented: “It is really, really exciting to be part of this project which is helping to provide that resilience to our landscapes.” She further expressed: “I’m just looking forward to seeing the saplings mature and come to fruition.” The project team indicated that the entire count of 65,000 saplings will have been planted “by the end of the next few weeks.” Yorke elaborated, stating: “The majority we planted in January and February, then we had about 4,500 that were left to plant over the last few weeks.” Personnel and volunteers have manually installed young trees, comprising a minimum of 10 indigenous species, utilizing tools such as picks, spades, lump hammers, and wooden stakes. Matt Snelling, the project manager for White Rose Forest, remarked: “This project specifically is in a key catchment for us, so the woodland that is planted will help slow the flow of water downstream.” He continued: “That will help reduce the risk of flooding which has been a major problem right across Yorkshire.” Snelling clarified that his organization’s function involves enabling and financing the establishment of forested areas, with additional backing for the project provided by the Woodland Trust. He added: “Our team is usually out helping landowners right across North and West Yorkshire to get woodlands planted.” In connection with the broader initiative, the planting of moss and the deployment of 3,500 leaky dams are being implemented across five primary locations within the South Pennines.