The first large scale tree planting project carried out by Huntingdonshire District Council has been launched in Godmanchester with the authority planning to put in 2,000 trees across the district in the next six months.

Godmanchester Community Tree Planting project is part of the national tree planting incentive, the Queen’s Green Canopy Jubilee, and carried out by the council in collaboration with community groups.

Cllr Marge Beuttell, whose responsibilities include the environment, said: “This planting project is the first community project led by Huntingdonshire District Council.

"It was great to be joined by local volunteers and groups such as the Great Ouse Valley Trust and Godmanchester In Bloom to begin work on creating the new woodland for the town."

Cllr Beuttell said: "The planting of new tree whips is something that council is keen to kick on with and organise even more community events to realise the vision from our tree strategy for the next 10 years and maximise the environmental, economic and health benefits of trees across the district.”

She was joined by Cllr Ryan Fuller, council leader, Joanne Lancaster, chief executive and Graham Campbell, chairman of the Great Ouse Valley Trust.

Eight hundred young trees, provided by the Woodland Trust, were planted by around 90 volunteers from the district council, Godmanchester Green Team, the Great Ouse Valley Trust, local clubs, schools and churches.

The council’s arboricultural service plays a key role in managing and protecting the district's tree population including looking after trees and woodlands on council-owned land and it also sets out to create an example of positive tree management best practice.

It is planning to develop partnership projects to create new woodland and an annual tree-planting programme, including memorial trees, of which the Godmanchester Community Tree Planting Project is one of the larger-scale projects that the council has overseen.

The council said the new woodland planting was part of its long-term initiative to increase the number of trees in Huntingdonshire while promoting community involvement in all aspects of tree planting and management.