Over 800 trees of all species have been made available, free of charge this week to the people of Greater Manchester by Red Rose Forest, after they were kindly donated by the Forestry Commission at the end of their official planting season.

The small saplings, including Holly, Hornbeam, Willow and Rowan are currently being homed at the community tree nursery in Partington, Trafford. They have been brought into the Greater Manchester area by Red Rose Forest, a environmental initiative, so that local people can have access to free, good quality trees to plant in their gardens, on local community green space or within existing woodlands.

The trees would be ideal for schools or community groups wanting to create areas of woodland within their grounds, and Red Rose Forest also offers a full range of support and advice on which trees will be most suitable, how to plant them and what maintenance they require.

The tree nursery at Partington was set up around four years ago to meet all the local community’s ‘tree needs’. But the 800 new saplings that have recently joined the nursery are being offered to tree lovers right across Greater Manchester.

Red Rose Forest has a target to plant over 25 million trees across Greater Manchester over a 40-year period. Its hoped that every one of these 800 tiny trees will be lovingly planted within the area, helping to making the region a greater, greener place to live and work.

Said Fliss Paris, Red Rose Forest’s Community Support Officer:

“The trees are completely free to who ever can give them a good home, and Red Rose Forest can support local people as they plant them out and look after them in the future. The community tree nurseries help hundreds of people out with trees every year, but with these 800 new saplings there is no excuse for everyone not to be out and planting!”

If you are interested in reserving any of the new trees in time for the new tree planting season in October, or to find out more about tree availability or the tree nursery at Partington, please contact Fliss Paris on 0161 872 1660.

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Notes to the Editor

Please make all press enquires to Faith Ashworth, Red Rose Forest Marketing Manager on 0161 872 1660 / 07766 747 187.

Partington Tree Nursery was set up four years ago through a partnership of Red Rose Forest and Trafford MBC.

Red Rose Forest is an environmental regeneration initiative in Greater Manchester and is one of 12 Community Forests being developed in England. We are a partnership of The Countryside Agency, the Forestry Commission and six Greater Manchester local authorities. The Red Rose Forest partnership is planting over 25 million trees across 292 square miles of the area, as part of a 40-year programme that will make Greater Manchester a greener and more satisfying place to live and work. At the heart of our strategy is the involvement of local communities in the environmental, social and economic regeneration of the area.