URL: https://doncaster.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=3698

Decision Maker: Executive Director Policy, Partnership and Investment

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: Following the declaration of a Climate & Biodiversity Emergency in 2019, Doncaster has set an ambition to plant one million trees across the borough over the next ten years, to increase tree coverage from 13% to 16.5%, planting more trees in urban areas, community spaces, town centres, gateway green areas and woodlands. 2. The Government’s Net-Zero Strategy: Building Back Greener states that “halting climate change and protecting the natural world are two parts of the same coin, so we will be restoring our countryside to reduce emissions, sequester carbon and build in our resilience to climate change…We will increase the planting of trees to sequester carbon…’”(page 26) 3. Team Doncaster’s Environment & Sustainability Strategy 2020–2030 - Natural Environment: Woodland, Trees and Green spaces includes the following aims: • Protect and enhance existing woodland and green spaces. • Increase overall tree cover and woodland cover 4. Since 2021 ~410,000 trees have been planted across Doncaster, with 58% planted as part of workstreams by internal CDC teams. This includes Miyawaki Forests, Community Orchards, Hedgerows, Woodland creation, Willow classrooms and Free Tree Giveaways. As a result the Sustainability Unit is regularly receiving enquiries from schools, residents and landowners requesting tree planting within their grounds. 5. Doncaster is comprised of over 60% agricultural land. Supporting this sector with the creation of agro-forestry projects such as hedgerows, shelter-belts, copses, orchards and riparian buffer strips provide opportunities to significantly increase to our target of planting one million trees by 2031, as well as delivering valuable ecosystem services across the borough. 6. Current knowledge and skills within CDC for outreach to this specialised sector is limited. Expanding the CDC treescapes requires the development of new capacities to take on new areas of tree planting outreach, engagement and operational delivery. This funding is specifically targeted at building the necessary capacities with CDC.

Content:

Date of Decision: April 22, 2026