'Tree champion' for urban green spaces

Sir William Worsley appointed to boost planting

A new Tree Champion to drive forward planting rates and prevent the unnecessary felling of street trees has been appointed  by Environment Secretary Michael Gove.

Sir William Worsley, current Chair of the National Forest Company, has been tasked with setting a bold direction for the country’s forests and woodlands over the next 25 years and supporting the Government’s manifesto commitments to plant 11 million trees, plus a further one million in our towns and cities.

He is tasked with bringing together mayors, city leaders and other key players across local government to prevent the unnecessary felling of street trees – alongside supporting the introduction of a new duty for councils to properly consult with communities before they cut down trees.

With a number of grant schemes already in place to help landowners grow woodland cover, the Tree Champion will support the development of a future scheme outside the EU – one that encourages large-scale tree planting, reduces carbon and rewards landowners for enhancing the environment.