Cumberland Council is thanking the community in Cleator Moor for supporting the drop-in feedback session about the community forest last week.
The drop-in session was held in Wath Brow Hornets Rugby Club, Cleator and lots of the local community visited and gave their feedback on the community forest.
The Community Forest in Cleator Moor proposed plans including path improvement works, making the site more accessible, creating open spaces for recreational activities, and planting trees and wildflower pollinator zones. The initiative will bring numerous benefits to the area, including having more diverse wildlife and the community will be able to actively get involved with the site.
Funded nationally and locally, the Cumbria Community Forest (CCF) is part of a network of community forests. Together there is a goal to plant 150 hectares (or around 210 football pitches) nationally of trees over the next five years. The woodlands and forests that will be planted, will capture around 32,910 tonnes of CO2 over the lifetime of the trees.
Councillor Bob Kelly, Executive Member for Policy and Regulatory Services, said:
“I would like to thank everyone who attended the drop-in session especially as we had Storm Debi to contend with. It was excellent that so many people were there and had the opportunity to express their views.
“Trees and woodlands are vital in our fight against climate change, and the community forest will not only help our carbon footprint but will also give the local community more opportunities to enjoy nature on their doorstep.
“We will add all the feedback, to the proposed plans, and will be able to share this with the public, when the survey results are analysed. We are very much committed to the proposed community forest and want to work with the public to get it right and be mindful of the climate emergency as we continue to put health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.”
If members of the public have any questions, they can contact the community forest team by emailing: futuretrees@cumberland.gov.uk.