South West Water has announced plans to plant at least 100,000 trees over the next 10 years.

The water company will work with key partners to plant trees on land provided by partners such as the National Trust and The Wildlife Trusts as well as its own property. The Woodland Trust has agreed to help identify sites and manage the planting programme once it is developed. South West Water also anticipates working with a wide range of delivery partners such as local councils, Viridor, The Wildlife Trusts, South West Lakes Trust and Westcountry Rivers Trust.

South West Water’s Head of Environment, Perry Hobbs, said:

“'This is an initial trial phase to see how we can work with landowners and delivery partners and we hope to significantly increase this figure over the next 10 years.”

“Trees bring both environmental and wellbeing benefits. They help combat climate change, prevent flooding and add to the natural beauty of our region.”

In 2020, South West Water will start to plant broad leaf native trees at Park Lake, a post mining restoration site on Bodmin Moor, which will stabilise the site and encourage wildlife. The company also plans to restore woodlands next to reservoirs and plant trees in the context of peatland restoration and natural flood management.

The initiative supports the water industry’s broader goal of achieving a carbon neutral water sector by 2030.

The Government’s committee on climate change aims to increase UK woodland coverage from 13% of land to 17% to help meet the target for ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050.

During National Tree Week which takes place from 23 November to 1 December, South West Water and South West Lakes Trust will be holding a celebration event for trees at Burrator Discovery Centre on Thursday 28 Novembe. The event will mark the successful natural restoration of native broad-leafed woodland at the reservoir that has taken place over the last 10 years – the woodland has been established without the use of tree guards or chemicals.