Customer Access Point, Stowmarket, closed
Due to unforeseen circumstances the Customer Access Point in Stowmarket is currently closed.
For any queries please phone Customer Services on 0300 123 4000 or visit one of our other Customer Access Points
Tree planting and coverage
We’re working hard to increase tree coverage.
We are currently in the process of creating our first tree planting strategy.
We also want to work with local landowners who would like to give some of their land back to nature.
We are using data about our current tree coverage to identify where we can increase numbers of trees and hedgerow plants, and how we can best meet our tree planting targets.Left Panel Header
Our tree coverage survey
Our first step was to work with Treeconomics Ltd, to carry out a districts-wide survey of trees in our patch (known as our 'tree canopy').
This has enabled us to not only understand and measure our existing tree coverage down to ward level, but has also identified where tree coverage can be increased.
It means we can now also quantify some of the environmental benefits provided by trees in Babergh and Mid Suffolk, including:
- how much carbon they store (carbon storage) and remove from the atmosphere (carbon sequestration)
- how much rainwater they drain away (avoided runoff)
- how many pollutants from the air (pollution removal)
The table below shows the headline figures for tree canopy cover in Babergh:
| Description | Amount | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Average tree canopy cover | 8.5% | n/a |
| Carbon storage (t) | 723,000 | £186,000,000 |
| Annual carbon sequestration (t) | 29,000 | £7,417,000 |
| Annual pollution removal (t) | 1,310 | £21,831,000 |
| Annual avoided runoff (m3) | 2,513,000 | £3,934,000 |
| Total annual benefits | n/a | £33,182,000 |
You are also welcome to download the full survey report.
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How landowners can help
We are planting trees and changing the way we manage open spaces on the land we own.
We are also working with organisations such as Suffolk Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust to help provide our communities with advice, support and funding.
However, to make a bigger difference and increase tree coverage across the district to where it needs to be, we also need to work with other landowners and organisations like you, to create more space for our wildlife.
Do you have land – big or small - that you could give back to nature to support local plant and wildlife, but not sure where to start?
Simply register your interest with us so we can find out a bit more about you, your land, and your ideas.
Ways you could give back some land to nature could include:
- Planting more trees, hedgerow and or woodland
- Creating or improving meadows, ponds, or another habitat
- Changing the way you manage your land
Ways we can support you can include:
- Providing information about available grants and support
- Giving advice about what sort of planting may be most suitable for your land space and use
- Bringing together multiple landowners in an area so they can work better collectively for nature
Questions? Get in touch with our biodiversity team