Manchester City Council has set out a plan to plant around 64,000 new trees all across the city region by 2050.
Since the launching the region’s first ‘tree strategy’ all the way back in 2005, more than 125,000 new trees and tree hedges – including 125 community orchards, and fruit tree groves – have been planted all across Manchester by both Manchester City Council and partner organisations such as City of Trees, the orchard project, and others.
And that “growing ambition” isn’t stopping there either, as several hundreds more trees are set to be planted over the next six months.
It’s just one part of an emerging 10-year Tree and Woodland Action Plan that’s ultimately setting out to “boost Manchester‘s tree cover” and will be considered at an Environment, Climate Change and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee this week.
The new plan comes after Council-commissioned ‘Growing Manchester’s Trees’ study, which looked at how the city’s treescape has evolved, and how it can be improved for the future, concluded that there’s a significant scope to increase the city’s tree canopy cover from its current level of almost 19% of tree cover to almost 22%.
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Manchester City Council sets out plan to plant tens of thousands of new trees / Credit: Oliver & David Dixon (via Geograph)
The draft of the Tree and Woodland Action Plan that’s being considered this week is said to “envisage the Council working with organisations and other stakeholders across the city” to achieve that goal.
This means that an estimated 64,000 new trees would need to be planted.
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Reaching this ambition will require new collaborative bids to sources such as the Government’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund.
After the planning meeting this week, the Council insists that local Manchester residents will be consulted on the new Tree and Woodland Action Plan – which sits alongside the Council’s existing Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy to promote and protect green open spaces and waterways – before it would officially be adopted.
Around 64,000 new trees could be planted across the city by 2050 / Credit: Alex Indigo (via Flickr)
Should the plan be approved by local Councillors and Manchester residents, it would be adopted sometime in early in 2024.
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“With every year that passes, it feels like we understand more about the benefits of trees – not just in combatting climate change by removing and storing carbon but also in supporting resilience to its impacts by reducing flood risks and providing shade,” admitted Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Environment at Manchester City Council.
“Tens of thousands of trees have been planted since we first started looking at this issue strategically and we now have a better understanding than ever of where our trees are and where more are needed.
“Now we want to work with residents and organisations in the city to support the planting of even more.”
Featured Image – City of Trees
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Peter Kay announces four intimate charity shows in Greater Manchester – but only for these postcodes
Emily Sergeant
Peter Kay has just announced four intimate shows to raise money for a very worthy cause… but you can only get tickets if you live in these particular postcodes.
Comedy legend Peter Kay is set to return home to the Bolton Albert Halls for four very special hometown shows in this summer, marking his first performances at the venue more than two decades.
Taking to the very stage where he recorded the UK’s biggest-selling stand-up DVD, it’s set to be a proper nostalgic homecoming for one of Britain’s most beloved comedians.
The summer shows – which are taking place from 9 – 11 July 2026, even including a matinee performance – this is a rare chance for local fans to be part of something incredibly special, with all funds raised going to Bolton Hospice.
But, there’s a bit of a catch… you’ll only be able to get tickets if you live in Bolton (and some parts of Bury), as it’s strictly limited to BL postcodes.
Peter Kay Live at the Bolton Albert Halls – 2026 Dates
Thursday 9 July (Evening)
Friday 10 July (Evening)
Saturday 11 July (Matinee)
Saturday 11 July (Evening)
Tickets officially go on sale Friday 24 April at 10am, and you can get your hands on them here.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Seven in 10 NHS workers think the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic
Emily Sergeant
A new survey has revealed that seven in 10 NHS workers believe the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic if one should arise.
After the recent meningitis B outbreak in Kent last month raised the conversation of mass contagion once again, of course following the COVID-19 pandemic, a new YouGov survey of more than 1,000 NHS workers has now uncovered how well prepared staff in the health service think it is for another global pandemic.
The results show that 69% of staff surveyed think the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic, and to make matters worse, 26% of those even say it’s ‘very poorly’ prepared.
Only one in five (22%) think the NHS is could properly handle another pandemic, but statistically, YouGov claims none of those surveyed said it’s ‘very well’ prepared.
Seven in 10 NHS workers think the health service is ‘poorly prepared’ for another pandemic / Credit: Pxhere | Rawpixel
When workers were asked how the NHS’s level of preparedness now compares to prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 41% did concede that they think it is better prepared now than 2020, however 37% admitted they think it’s no better prepared.
16% actively think it’s less well-prepared now than it was prior to 2020.
This marked a new era of ‘transparency’ and ‘accountability’ in the NHS, with the league tables delivering on the Government’s promise to drive up standards, tackle variation in care, and ensure people get the high-quality service they rightly expect.
Every trust in England – from urgent and emergency care, through to elective operations and mental health services – will now be ranked quarterly against ‘clear and consistent’ standards.
Emily Sergeant -
6th November 2023 
