Residents of Bradley Stoke Stoke are to be offered free trees (saplings) and packets of wildflower seeds in an upcoming implementation phase of the town council’s Local Nature Action Plan.
A further two community orchards could also be established in the town.
The latest initiatives follow the distribution of more than 80 native tree or hedge saplings in January this year and the staging of a Hedgehog Hero event which saw hedgehog archways given to residents. The archways are used to create holes in fences or gates to enable hedgehogs to access gardens.
Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC) has also donated a Hedgehog Hero sign to each school in the town in the hope hope that it will be placed in a prominent location so that the local community can see that the school is playing their part in supporting and protecting hedgehogs.
A Local Nature Action Plan sets out the steps a town or parish council aims to take in order to help reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity in its local area, thereby helping to meet objectives defined in South Gloucestershire Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan and Green infrastructure Strategy.
Community orchards
Working with Bradley Stoke in Bloom and the One Planet Matters organisation, the town council is looking at establishing two new community orchards; one at Paddock Close and a second on a section of the Three Brooks Local Nature Reserve in the vicinity of the Bowsland Way / Bradley Stoke Way junction.
A representative from One Planet Matters is hoping to attend the next Planning & Environment Committee meeting on Wednesday 27th September 2023.
Budget agreed
BSTC’s Finance Committee has agreed to establish a £2,000 stand-alone Local Nature Action Plan Projects budget for the three new projects.
Council officers have estimated the costs of the individual projects as:
- Free Trees giveaway event (£1,000 was spent last year) – £1,000
- Free Wildflower Seeds giveaway project (in region of £3 per seed pack) – £350
- Community Orchards project (£50 – £60 for each well-established tree) – £650
It is anticipated that the two giveaway events will take place in January 2024, with the town council working in cooperation with working with Bradley Stoke Zero Carbon Community Group and Bradley Stoke in Bloom.
Planting of the two new community orchards could take place in “winter 2023/24”.
Related links
- Local Nature Action Plan (BSTC)
- Green Infrastructure Strategy (SGC)
- Climate and nature emergency in South Gloucestershire (SGC)
- Map showing locations of existing community orchards in Bradley Stoke (Google Maps / The Journal)
- Bradley Stoke Council: Schedule of Meetings (The Journal)
Date announced for giveaway event
UPDATE added 14th November 2023.
From the draft minutes of a meeting of Bradley Stoke Town Council’s Planning & Environment Committee held on 25th October 2023:
7.1.2 Free tree/hedge giveaway and wildflower seeds event
The event has been booked for Saturday 27th January 2024 between 10.00am and 12noon in the Oak Hall, Jubilee Centre.
Details of giveaway event
UPDATE added 19th January 2024.
For details, see: Free garden tree/hedge event (2024)
