A woodland habitat has been created in Chelmsford as the Essex Forest Initiative surpasses its five-year goal.

Volunteers have helped plant 1,000 new willow, alder and oak trees just outside Chelmsford City Centre over two days.

The trees were provided by the Essex Forest Initiative, which launched in 2019 when Essex County Council committed to plant £1 million worth of trees over five years. The original target was 375,000 trees covering over 150 hectares – equivalent to 210 football pitches.

The initiative has now exceeded these targets, with a total of 476,200 trees planted across an area of 120 hectares throughout Essex.

Councillor Peter Schwier, Climate Czar and Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste Reduction and Recycling, who participated in the planting, said: "I'm delighted to see the Essex Forest Initiative not only reaching its planting goal but significantly exceeding it. I am also pleased that I've been able to get out and plant some trees myself. Essex County Council is serious about improving our environment, and surpassing our ambitious target by over 100,000 trees demonstrates this commitment."

Trees planted through the initiative provide vital habitats for wildlife, increasing biodiversity whilst offering residents more green spaces to enjoy across the county.

More information on the Essex Forest Initiative can be found on the Essex County Council website.

Read about Essex County Council's climate action in the Essex Climate Action Annual Report for 2023/24.