A trees & woodlands strategy is a long-term plan being developed by the Council as part of its broader environmental initiatives.
The Trees and Woodland Strategy for Stevenage (2025-2035) is a comprehensive plan aimed at managing and enhancing the town's tree stock, including amenity trees, woodlands, and ancient hedgerows.
This strategy is crucial as it ensures the continued contribution of these natural assets to an attractive and healthy environment for both people and wildlife, guiding decisions around tree planting, preservation, and maintenance as well as around woodland protection and management, over the next decade.
This initiative is closely linked to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Trees and woodlands act as carbon sinks, capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it in biomass and soil. They also help in managing water resources by reducing surface runoff and improving water quality.
By enhancing green infrastructure, the strategy aims to make Stevenage more resilient to climate-related challenges such as extreme weather events and biodiversity loss.
Key objectives to work against as part of this strategy include increasing tree canopy cover; engagement and collaboration with the community; implementing conservation and management practices to improve the health and biodiversity of woodlands; creating wildlife corridors; and incorporate climate mitigation criteria such as trees with high carbon storage potential or promoting sustainable woodland management.