Queen’s Canopy trees planted in Grantham park

Five native rowan trees have been planted in Dysart Park as part of South Kesteven District Council’s contribution to the Queen’s Green Canopy.

Gareth Davies, MP for Grantham and Stamford, joined Cllr Kelham Cooke, Leader of SKDC and council colleagues for the planting ceremony.

The trees have been funded from SKDC’s climate change reserve fund. They are part of environmental improvements, including a wildflower meadow, delivered by the council’s Blue Green Corridor partnership project alongside the River Witham.

Wildflower meadow clearance and seeding work on the site of the old swimming pool has been helped by individuals working under supervision from Community Payback, where sentences require community service.

Six bird boxes made by Community Payback will be installed in existing trees and another area has been dedicated to insect and wildlife friendly habitat piles.

Cllr Rosemary Trollope -Bellow, SKDC Cabinet member for Culture and Visitor Economy said: “Tree planting is a valuable part of our wider ambitions regarding the climate challenges we face, and we are delighted to play our part in helping to creating the Queen’s Green Canopy.

“It’s really encouraging to see a partnership between the council, our specialist contractors Lions Environmental, and Community Payback, which has previously helped with work in Grantham Cemetery, Wyndham Park and Queen Elizabeth Park.

“Our link with Community Payback has worked really well, making a positive contribution to the community. They are leaving a real legacy.”

For Community Payback, Paul Sturton, Community Payback Operations Manager for East and West Lincolnshire said; “Our partnership with South Kesteven District Council is going from strength to strength.

“The projects we are working on are enabling people on probation to undertake meaningful work to make reparation to the communities in which they have offended. In addition to the loss of liberty, those projects also provide rehabilitative outcomes and the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills relating to conservation and wider sustainability.”

Wild flowers, chosen after consultation with the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to benefit bees and insects, will include foxgloves, cornflowers, red clover, ox-eye daisies, yellow rattle, vetch and vivid colour teasels.

The Blue Green Corridor project runs from Dysart Park through Wyndham Park, into Queen Elizabeth Park to Belton Park. Its blue element is the river and the green element represents the riverbanks, green spaces and parks nearby.

Funded largely by the European Regional Development Fund, the programme is a partnership between South Kesteven District Council, North Kesteven District Council, the Environment Agency and the National Trust.