Residents fined for failing to clear up rubbish dumped in their gardens
An Ashington man and Newbiggin woman who repeatedly failed to clear up large quantities of waste they had allowed to accumulate in their...
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Northumberland
County Council's Climate
Change Action Plan
The Council has a Climate Change Action Plan 2021-2023, which sets the framework for achieving our ambitions. The next Climate Change Action Plan for 2024-26 is due to be published in Spring 2024 and will set out the most up-to-date targets of becoming a carbon neutral Council by 2030 and a net zero county by 2040.
The current plan sets out seven key action areas with strategic projects in each.
Navigate through the seven key action areas below to see key projects and development ongoing in these areas.
Priority area 6:
Natural carbon sequestration >
Trees, soils and bogs capture and store carbon from the atmosphere through sequestration and prevent flooding, reduce pollution and keep soil rich in nutrients.
Our natural environment works hard to capture carbon dioxide emissions and turn them into the oxygen we breathe. The Council is working hard to ensure the county is as green as possible to help improve the air we breathe and combat harmful emissions.
The Great Northumberland Forest >
The Great Northumberland Forest is a plan to plant millions of trees, creating more wooded landscapes across the county by 2030.
Nearly 3 million new trees have already been planted as part of the scheme, helping Northumberland reach net zero, tackle biodiversity decline and promote health and wellbeing, whilst supporting a thriving local economy.
The team is available to support communities, landowners and their agents to develop tree planting and woodland creation projects across the county. The team can guide your woodland project from an initial idea, through to planning and delivery on the ground, by providing a wide range of technical and professional free support including:
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Planning, design and stakeholder engagement
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Regulatory approval and funding
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Project delivery
For more information, please see Northumberland County Council - Great Northumberland Forest If you would like support in planting trees please email enquiries.forest@northumberland.gov.uk or call 01670 623 416.
Free tree scheme
Every year between August and December, the Council offers Northumberland residents and groups the opportunity to apply for a free tree.
Collection points are set up across the county over the winter planting season. Winter is the prime tree planting season and saplings need to be planted when they are dormant, so they are less likely to get damaged. In the UK the best months to plant a tree are between October and March.
Tree wardens
The Council coordinates the Tree Warden Network which comprises of volunteers who care for trees and greenery. The volunteers find suitable land for planting and educate school children about the importance of trees in our environment.
The scheme was launched in Rothbury on April 4, 2022, with the planting of 150 new tree saplings, including Rowan, Silver Birch, Crab Apple, Hawthorn, and Cherry on Council-owned land near Beggars Rigg Car park.
The Northumberland Peatland Partnership
Healthy peatlands are crucial for tackling climate change. When they are damaged, they release greenhouse gas emissions, but when they are healthy, they store carbon in the ground and provide great habitats for wildlife too.
The Council’s climate and ecology teams have joined the Northumberland Peat Partnership, which is working to restore Northumberland’s peatlands. In 2021, this partnership secured £779,000 for a project to survey our peatlands and start their journey towards restoration.
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